Wednesday, February 4, 2026-Israel has announced it will expel Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)—the international medical aid organization—from operating in Gaza, marking a dramatic escalation in the humanitarian crisis gripping the region.
Tel Aviv’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs says MSF failed to hand over a list of its Palestinian and international staff, a requirement imposed under new security regulations for NGOs working in the enclave. The government has set a deadline of February 28, 2026 for MSF to cease all activities and withdraw its teams. The move follows a decision last month to bar 37 aid groups that did not meet similar documentation requirements.
MSF has rejected Israel’s demands and argues that providing personal staff data without strong assurances on safety and independence could jeopardize its personnel and undermine its mission. The organization had initially offered to share a defined staff list under strict conditions but withdrew that offer after failing to secure guarantees on how the data would be used.
MSF leaders describe the ban as a “pretext to obstruct humanitarian assistance” and warn that it will leave hundreds of thousands of civilians without life‑saving medical care, even as Gaza’s health infrastructure teeters on collapse.
The expulsion comes at a critical moment: Gaza’s healthcare system is already stretched thin amid winter conditions, limited supplies, and lingering conflict. MSF provides a significant share of medical consultations, hospital beds, and essential services—especially in trauma care and deliveries—so its removal could trigger catastrophic gaps in care for the population.
International aid advocates are calling for renewed negotiations to keep humanitarian operations running, warning that the ban could deepen suffering and instability across the territory.
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