Gaza: Trapped by days of unrelenting fighting, thousands of civilians are at risk of dying, including over a hundred Doctors Without Borders staff and their families

18/11/2023

Palestine

Palestinian Territories, October 2023 © Mahmud Hams/AFP

People standing on a rooftop watch as a ball of fire and smoke rises above a building in Gaza City on October 7, 2023, during an Israeli air strike that hit the Palestine Tower building.

Since the start of hostilities on Saturday October 7 and following Israeli strikes, the situation in the Gaza Strip has been disastrous. Palestinian Territories, October 2023 © Mahmud Hams/AFP

Since last Saturday, Doctors Without Borders staff and families haven’t been able to go outside because of ongoing fighting. On Tuesday 14 November, bullets were fired into the Doctors Without Borders guesthouse, luckily causing no casualties. Yesterday, the office building was hit by shrapnel and the guesthouse’s water tank was shelled. Today, our staff reported high intensity fighting getting very close to them.

“Our colleagues hear the constant sounds of gunfire, shelling, and drones. We can hear it when we speak with them on the phone. The evacuation route to southern Gaza remains unsafe.”

Thousands of civilians trapped in hospitals and other places in Gaza city currently suffer the same fate and are at risk of dying in the coming days, if not hours.

“Our colleagues hear the constant sounds of gunfire, shelling, and drones. We can hear it when we speak with them on the phone. The evacuation route to southern Gaza remains unsafe,” says Ann Taylor, Doctors Without Borders Head of Mission in the occupied Palestinian territories.

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“They are terrified, they ran out of food several days ago and children have now started getting sick from drinking salty water, they must be evacuated now,” added Taylor.

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