Doctors Without Borders Accuses Israeli Military of Attacking Evacuation Convoy in Gaza
Doctors Without Borders, also known as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), has accused the Israeli military of attacking a marked evacuation convoy in Gaza on November 18. The attack resulted in two family members of MSF staff being killed, one of whom was a volunteer nurse at Shifa Hospital, according to a news release from MSF.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) responded to the accusations, stating that it recognizes the special protections given to medical teams under international humanitarian law and takes action to prevent harm to them. The IDF also emphasized that when it strikes military targets, it takes feasible precautions to mitigate civilian casualties.
MSF claims that its convoy, clearly identified as MSF vehicles, was attacked while returning to their offices in Gaza City after the Israeli military did not allow it to cross the last checkpoint near Wadi Gaza to get to the south of Gaza, where the IDF urged people to go.
The organization had initially informed both parties to the conflict that it was heading south and followed the itinerary indicated by the Israeli army to go along Salah Eddine street in five marked vehicles. After waiting for three hours and being prevented from passing the checkpoint, the convoy decided to return to its offices in Gaza City.
The convoy was allegedly attacked close to MSF’s office on its way back, with personnel describing tanks and snipers pointing their weapons at them. One MSF staff member present said, “They started opening fire at us and when a bullet grazed my forehead, I got a superficial injury. The bullet hit my colleague Alaa in the head, he sat next to me.”
According to the MSF statement, Alaa died as a result of the attack. Additionally, MSF reported that five of its vehicles and their clinic in Gaza City were allegedly damaged by an Israeli bulldozer and a heavy military vehicle while sheltering at the MSF offices on November 20.
The organization has called for an independent investigation and a formal explanation for the attack from Israeli authorities, and it continues to seek justice for the lives lost and the destruction of its property.