The report, 'Gaza: Life In A Death Trap', documents 14 months of repeated Israeli attacks on civilians, the dismantling of essential civilian infrastructure including healthcare facilities, and a systematic denial of humanitarian assistance and a concerted effort to "unravel the very fabric of society in Gaza."
MSF staff themselves have endured and documented 41 attacks by Israeli forces, including "airstrikes, shelling and violent incursions in health facilities, direct fire on its shelters and convoys and arbitrary detention by Israeli forces."
The report notes that 8 MSF workers have been killed and many more have been injured. Medical personnel and patients alike have been forced to urgently evacuate health facilities on 17 separate occasions, often literally "running for their lives."
'Gaza: Life In A Death Trap' also provides evidence that Israel has deliberately and systematically prevented essential items, such as food, water and medical supplies, from entering Gaza. MSF teams have also reported incidents where they have had to to carry out surgery without sufficient anaesthesia. The report concludes that the people of Gaza are quite literally living in a "death trap" and cites The Lancet's figure that suggests the true death toll from Israel's bombardment and collective punishment of the Palestinian people may be conservatively estimated as around 186,000 people due to the total collapse of healthcare systems, malnutrition and disease outbreaks.
Peace & Justice Project respects and recognises the devastating summary provided by MSF and applauds their invaluable work in Gaza and other areas of humanitarian crisis and suffering around the world. We join their calls for an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza and for those responsible for the indescribable suffering of the Palestinian people to be brought to justice, as well as calling for an immediate end to all arms sales to Israel and full recognition of the ICJ's January 2024 ruling and measures to prevent genocide by world leaders, particularly the United States and the UK governments.