MSF suspends some work at Gaza's Nasser Hospital due to presence of armed men

The comments by the aid group, which is also known by its acronym MSF, are a rare announcement by an international organization about the presence of armed men in or near medical facilities in Gaza since the war began over two years ago.

MSF said in a statement all its noncritical medical operations at Nasser Hospital were suspended due to security breaches that posed “serious security threats to our teams and patients."

“MSF teams have reported a pattern of unacceptable acts including the presence of armed men, intimidation, arbitrary arrests of patients and a recent situation of suspicion of movement of weapons,” it said.

While the suspension occurred in January, it was first disclosed in MSF’s “frequently asked questions” section on its website. It's unclear when the post was made, but the site said it was updated Feb. 11.

MSF said it made the difficult decision after an increase of patients and staff seeing armed men in parts of the hospital compound since the U.S.-brokered October ceasefire was reached. The gunmen were seen in areas where the group didn’t operate.

Attacks on health facilities

MSF said it wasn’t able to indicate the armed men's affiliation. It said it had expressed concern to the “relevant” authorities, without elaborating, stressing that hospitals must remain neutral, civilian spaces. It said its concerns were heightened by previous, deliberate Israeli attacks on health facilities.

Throughout the war, which began with the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has repeatedly struck hospitals, including Nasser, accusing the militant group of operating in or around them. Hamas security men often have been seen inside hospitals, blocking access to some areas.

Some hostages released from Gaza have said they spent time during captivity in a hospital.

While Hamas remains the dominant force in areas not under Israeli control, including Nasser Hospital, other armed groups have mushroomed across Gaza as a result of the war, including groups backed by Israel’s army in the Israeli-controlled part of the strip.

Nasser Hospital staff say that in recent months it has been repeatedly attacked by masked, armed men and militias, despite police presence there.

Police to be deployed

The Hamas-run Interior Ministry, which oversees police in Gaza, said officers would be deployed to secure hospitals and rid them of armed presence. It said it was implementing stricter measures to ensure patients’ safety.

While international law gives hospitals special protections during war, they can lose this immunity if combatants use them to hide fighters or store weapons, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross. Still, there must be plenty of warning to allow the evacuation of staff and patients before any operations take place. If harm to civilians from an attack is disproportionate to the military objective, it is illegal under international law.

Aid groups and rights organizations say Israel has decimated Gaza's health system, forcing most hospitals to shut down while heavily damaging others. During the war, Israeli forces raided a number of hospitals, detaining hundreds of staff.

Israel also has targeted the police in Gaza.

A weakened medical system

MSF said it will continue supporting critical services at Nasser Hospital, including inpatient and surgical departments for patients with traumatic or burn injuries. However, it is ending support to the pediatrics and maternity wards, including the neonatal intensive care unit. It has also indefinitely suspended its outpatient consultations for 3D burn screening and mental health, as well as other services.

Zaher al-Waheidi, head of the records department at Gaza's Health Ministry, said MSF's suspension would have a significant impact as hundreds of patients are admitted to the maternity and burn wards daily. He said the ministry would take over maternity patient care, but said burn victims won't have many options.

Israel has been cracking down on aid groups operating in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, including MSF. The group is one of more than three dozen that Israel has banned from operating in the strip for failing to comply with new registration rules.

MSF says Israel's decision will have a catastrophic impact on its work in Gaza, where it provides funding and international staff for six hospitals and operates two field hospitals and eight primary health centers, clinics and medical points. It also runs two of Gaza’s five stabilization centers, helping children with severe malnutrition.

The toll of war

While the heaviest fighting has subsided, the fragile ceasefire has been seen almost daily Israeli fire. Israeli forces have carried out repeated airstrikes and frequently fire on Palestinians near military-held zones, killing 591 Palestinians since the ceasefire took effect, according to Gaza health officials.

Israel’s military on Saturday said its troops “eliminated” a person in northern Gaza who crossed the line dividing the territory and approached them.

Gaza's Health Ministry said the overall Palestinian death toll from the war is at least 72,051.

The ministry, part of the Hamas-led government, maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts. It does not give a breakdown of civilians and militants. Militants have carried out shooting attacks on troops, and Israel says its strikes are in response to that and other violations. Four Israeli soldiers have been killed.

Magdy reported from Cairo.

Find more of AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war