Nasser Hospital Condemns MSF Over Suspension of Aid Operations

Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza, one of the territory's few remaining large functioning medical facilities, condemned international aid group Doctors Without Borders on Sunday for suspending noncritical operations there over allegations of armed men on the premises. The hospital described the claims as false and dangerous, stating they undermine the site's protected status under international humanitarian law.

The Geneva-based organization, known as MSF, announced the suspension on Saturday, effective since January 20. MSF cited security breaches that endangered its staff and patients, including reports from patients and personnel of armed individuals, some masked, in parts of the sprawling Khan Younis compound. The group noted a pattern of incidents since the U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect in October, such as intimidation of patients, arbitrary arrests and suspicions of weapons movement. "These conditions pose serious security threats to our teams and patients," MSF stated, emphasizing that hospitals must remain neutral civilian spaces free from military activity.

Hospital officials rejected the allegations outright, asserting that any armed...