“We have never seen cruelty at this level of intensity as we saw in Gaza,” says Renata Reis, director of Doctors Without Borders.
Hospitals and ambulances were targeted in Gaza; Doctors Without Borders reports 41 security incidents in 15 months of conflict.
247 - The executive director of the international organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Renata Reis, presented an alarming overview of the health and security situation in Gaza during an interview on the program. Mario Vitor and Regina Zappa, on TV 247. According to Renata, the last 15 months of intensified conflict have left a trail of unprecedented destruction, with systematic attacks on hospitals, clinics, ambulances and shelters belonging to the organization, in addition to a serious humanitarian crisis faced by the civilian population.
“Our most experienced colleagues, who have worked in war zones, said that the level of cruelty in Gaza is something we have never witnessed before. The attacks were directed against a besieged population, already facing an embargo turned siege, deprivation of water, food, medical supplies and fuel. We have never seen this at this level of intensity,” the director stated.
Renata detailed that MSF facilities, all clearly identified with the organization's logos, were repeatedly targeted in attacks. “We had tanks running over our vehicles, hospitals and clinics destroyed, shelters hit, and our ambulances and convoys attacked. This resulted in deaths, both of patients and healthcare professionals.”
She highlighted that, in 15 months of conflict, the organization recorded 41 security incidents, making it the most violent period for MSF in its entire history. “The biggest security incident we had faced until then was in 2014, in Afghanistan, when one of our hospitals was hit. In Gaza, this was systematic, not accidental. The unimaginable became the norm.”
Extreme working conditions and scarcity of resources
Renata highlighted the challenges faced by the MSF team in continuing to serve the population. Amid a shortage of resources, doctors were forced to perform surgeries without anesthesia. “Just thinking that we had to operate without anesthesia in 2024 is unbelievable. But it was either that, or we did nothing.”
The director detailed the organization's efforts to provide care amidst the crisis. "We performed over 8 deliveries, 31 mental health consultations, 10 surgeries, and 500 consultations during this period. And this, given the magnitude of the crisis, is a drop in the ocean."
Renata also described the struggle to keep vital equipment running without fuel. “We deal with extreme life-and-death situations. When the machines stop, people die in front of everyone. It’s inhumane.”
Appeal to the international community
In the interview, the director emphasized the need for support from the international community to help Gaza rebuild. “There is much work to be done, and the international community needs to help. We cannot yet estimate the amount of aid needed, but we will not take a single step back in our attempt to save more lives.”
Renata concluded her participation by reiterating the organization's neutrality, which has been operating in conflict zones and humanitarian crises for over 50 years. "We are independent, neutral, and impartial. We don't choose sides. Any human being in suffering is a patient of MSF."
The report from the MSF director highlights the urgent need for concrete responses to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, emphasizing the devastating impact of the conflict on civilians and healthcare professionals. Watch:
