Doctors Without Borders calls for immediate ceasefire in Gaza to stop bloodshed

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), also known as Doctors Without Borders, has called for an immediate ceasefire to prevent more deaths in Gaza and allow desperately needed humanitarian supplies in. 

Since Friday, the bombing by the Israeli forces has intensified to a degree not seen until now: northern Gaza is being razed to the ground, while the whole Strip is being hit and civilians have no place to take shelter, the Switzerland-based aid group said in a statement on Sunday. 

The actions of world leaders are too weak, too slow, as a non-binding UN resolution for a humanitarian truce has done nothing to reign in the indiscriminate violence unleashed on helpless people. 

The international community must take stronger action to urge Israel to stop the bloodshed. People are being killed and forcibly displaced from their homes, and water and fuel are running low. The atrocity is on a scale never seen before in Gaza.  

Hospitals are running out of medical supplies. Earlier this week, Dr Mohammed Obeid, MSF's surgeon in Gaza described the following, "Hospitals are flooded with patients, amputations and surgeries are being carried out without proper anaesthesia, and morgues are flooded with dead bodies."

The total communications blackout on 27 October further limits the ability to coordinate and provide humanitarian and medical assistance. People under the rubble, pregnant women who are about to deliver, and the elderly are not able to seek help when they need it the most. Because of the blackout, MSF lost contact with most of its Palestinian staff.  

Across Gaza, the number of injured in need of urgent medical assistance far exceeds the capacity of the health system, which currently has around 3,500 beds. So many victims in such a short space of time is unheard of, even compared with previous large-scale Israeli offensives.  

Hospitals such as Al Shifa in Gaza City, where MSF Palestinian colleagues continue to work, are overwhelmed with patients. Israeli military orders to evacuate the hospital are impossible and dangerous. The hospital is currently at full capacity with patients seeking medical treatment, and tens of thousands of others seeking safe shelter. Under international humanitarian law, patients, health workers and facilities must be protected at all times. 

"Helpless people are being subjected to horrific bombing. Families have nowhere to run or to hide, as hell is unleashed on them. We need a ceasefire now. Water, food, fuel, medical supplies and humanitarian aid in Gaza need to be urgently restored," said Dr Christos Christou, president of MSF International.