Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is calling for a massive scale-up of lifesaving assistance and unhindered humanitarian access amid the ongoing catastrophe in Gaza, where lives continue to be lost due to sustained violence and persistent aid restrictions imposed by the Israeli authorities. Despite these policies, MSF is committed to remaining to provide assistance in Palestine for as long as possible, working under our registration with the Palestinian Authority.

Under international humanitarian law, as the occupying power, the Israeli authorities are obliged to ensure the provision of humanitarian assistance. Yet restrictive new rules, which require 37 NGOs to leave Palestine by 1 March 2026, threaten to drastically reduce already insufficient aid. Governments worldwide must ensure that International Court of Justice decisions are respected, including facilitating the provision of humanitarian assistance.

“MSF is working to preserve services for patients in an increasingly constrained environment,” says Christopher Lockyear, MSF Secretary General. “The needs are immense and drastic restrictions have deadly consequences. Hundreds of thousands of patients need medical and mental health care, and tens of thousands require long-term medical, surgical and psychological follow-up.”