"The military invasion of Gaza City will be a complete and utter humanitarian disaster."

Statement by Amande Bazerolle, head of emergency operations for Médecins Sans Frontières for Palestine, regarding the situation in Gaza

“We are horrified to see the Israeli forces increasing their carnage across Gaza City as they sweep through neighbourhoods leaving destruction in their wake. At the same time, continued strikes are forcing people, including MSF staff, to flee their homes once again and we are seeing displacement across Gaza City. 

At our clinics in the area, we have seen high patient numbers this week as people move away from the recent bombardments in neighbourhoods such as Az Zaytoun.

All this is happening while famine in Gaza City has been declared by the integrated food security phase classification (IPC). You couldn't imagine something more cynical: people being starved as the Israeli forces invade and destroy any life that remains. This will lead to a complete and utter humanitarian disaster. As the Israeli forces accelerate their campaign of genocide and ethnic cleansing by expanding their military ground invasion into Gaza City, Palestinians trapped there face starvation, disease, and death.   

We have seen this repeatedly before: the mass destruction of civilian infrastructure, the forced displacement of millions into ever-shrinking, uninhabitable areas, and the systematic denial of food, water and aid. 

We call on the Israeli forces to stop their military invasion and reiterate our call for an immediate and sustained ceasefire.”