Gaza: Doctors Without Borders strongly condemns Israeli attack on Al-Mawasi shelter which killed two and injured six

At the time of the attack, 64 people were sheltering in the house. All parties to the war, including Israeli forces, are regularly informed of the whereabouts, and have acknowledged the presence, of Doctors Without Borders teams in specific locations. Israeli forces have been clearly informed of the precise location of this Doctors Without Borders shelter in Al-Mawasi. In addition to this, a two by three metre Doctors Without Borders flag was draped on the outside of the building. No evacuation orders were issued by the Israeli forces before the strike. Doctors Without Borders has since contacted Israeli authorities and is seeking further explanation.

Some of our colleagues and their family members who were living in the Doctors Without Borders shelter before the attack in Al-Mawasi had already survived the 8 January strike on another Doctors Without Borders shelter in Rafah, which killed the five-year-old daughter of a Doctors Without Borders staff member. This demonstrates, once again, that Israeli forces are not ensuring the safety of civilians in their military operations and shows a complete disregard for human life and lack of respect for the medical mission. This makes it almost impossible to sustain medical humanitarian activities in Gaza. 

Doctors Without Borders teams are supporting our colleagues and their family members who survived yesterday’s attack, as well as the loved ones of those who were killed. Five Doctors Without Borders staff have been killed since the beginning of the war, in addition to numerous family members.

We reiterate our call for an immediate and sustained ceasefire in Gaza. The violence against civilians must end now.