Gaza Clinic Closure: Israeli Ban Threatens Healthcare

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip – Mohammed Ibrahim wants to run and play soccer again, but the 14-year-old has had three surgeries as an accident this summer when he was run over as he tried to grab food off an aid truck for his starving family.

A nurse at this Gaza City clinic changes the gauze on his right leg. He winces in pain.

“Focus with us and calm your mind,” she tells him. “You will be just fine.”

“It hurts,” the boy whimpers. Unable to fight back tears, he bursts out: “I can’t! I can’t!”

This clinic is run by Doctors Without Borders, also known by its French initials MSF, an international aid group that provides lifesaving care in war zones around the world. But this clinic and MSF’s 19 other health care facilities and medical points across Gaza are facing massive pressure, and some may even have to shut down.

Israel banned MSF and dozens of international aid organizations, preventing them from bringing in aid or international staff to Gaza and the occupied West bank under new security and openness rules that came into effect on Jan. 1.

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Others were pushed on wheelchairs for checkups.

The aid group says it treated around 1 million people in Gaza last year, or half the population.

International staff and aid are barred

The Israeli decision to bar MSF and other aid groups means they can no longer bring international staff or aid into Gaza or the West Bank. They will have to rely solely on weary local staff, working with dwindling supplies and no international specialist expertise.

MSF told NPR it currently has 1,100 employees in Gaza, about 50 of whom are international staff. The group says every request to Israel to bring in aid and rotate new staff into Gaza has been refused in recent days.

Loay Harb, a Palestinian nurse at MSF’s clinic in Gaza City, says he sees complicated cases every day, many of them requiring multiple operations and months of treatment.

“I am trying to provide the best care to patients because I know they don’t have any access to this kind of care elsewhere,” Harb says, adding there’s a waitlist of people trying to get in.

Israel says Gaza isn’t dependent on MSF’s work

Israel says it is indeed banning around 40 international aid organizations from entering Gaza and the West bank as they failed to meet new security and transparency standards.

A partial list of the banned aid groups was made public by Israel last month, when the decision was announced.

In addition to MSF, the groups include Oxfam, which has worked on desalination and clean water, the Norwegian Refugee Council, which has overseen tents and shelter supplies, Mercy Corps, which has distributed food and basic aid, Save the Children, which has assisted with maternal care, and Rahma Worldwide, which had brought doctors from the U.S. to volunteer in Gaza’s hospitals

The Israeli government says these organizations failed to provide full disclosure of the identities and roles of their employees. This requirement was instated after the deadly oct. 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel in 2023. Israel says its new rules are intended to prevent the exploitation of aid by Hamas.

More than 50 international aid groups responded in an open letter warning that Israel’s new registration measures will impede critical humanitarian action.

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Countries and U.N. agencies call on Israel to reverse the ban

In a joint statement,every major U.N. agency working in Gaza called on Israel to reverse the ban on international aid groups, warning this will harm the little progress made in the ceasefire, which began in October. They say it will also further harm efforts to assist people through another winter in makeshift tents drenched in rain. Several children have died of hypothermia in recent weeks, according to Gaza’s health ministry and hospital records.

Ten countries, including the U.K., France and canada, called Israel’s ban “unacceptable.” They said a third of Gaza’s healthcare facilities are run by international aid groups.

Israel says the ban on these dozens of aid groups will have no harm on aid entering Gaza.

“Attempts by organizations to portray the humanitarian system in Gaza as dependent on their personnel are disconnected from the reality on the ground,” according to COGAT, Israel’s military arm overseeing the entry of goods into Gaza.

International staff provided accounts of Israeli attacks

Many of the aid groups now banned had also provided critical accounts of what was happening in gaza during the war as Israel continues to bar international press from independent access.

Israel is reportedly threatening to revoke the visas of foreign aid workers who speak out about the conditions in Gaza, according to multiple aid organizations. This move comes as israel faces increasing international scrutiny over its military campaign and the humanitarian crisis in the region.

Several aid groups, including Doctors Without Borders, the International Rescue Committee, and Oxfam, have received warnings from Israeli authorities. The warnings allege that speaking to the media about the difficulties of delivering aid or the impact of the conflict on civilians constitutes “incitement” or the spread of “false information.”

“We are deeply concerned by reports that the Israeli government is threatening to revoke the visas of aid workers who speak out about the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza,” said a statement from Doctors Without borders. “This is an unacceptable attempt to silence critical voices and obstruct the delivery of life-saving assistance.”

The aid organizations say they have a responsibility to report on the realities on the ground, and that their statements are based on firsthand observations. They accuse Israel of attempting to control the narrative surrounding the conflict and suppress evidence of potential wrongdoing.

israel has not officially commented on the reports, but sources within the government have confirmed that it is considering taking action against aid workers who are perceived to be critical of its policies.The government claims that some aid groups are biased against Israel and are spreading misinformation to damage its reputation.

the move has been condemned by human rights groups and international organizations, who say it is indeed a violation of freedom of speech and a threat to humanitarian work. They warn that it could further exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza by discouraging aid workers from speaking out about the challenges they face.

The warnings come amid growing international pressure on Israel to allow more aid into gaza and to protect civilians. The United Nations and other organizations have warned of a looming famine in the region, and have called for an immediate ceasefire.

The aid organizations say that Israel has imposed numerous restrictions on the delivery of aid to Gaza,including limiting the number of trucks allowed to enter,restricting access to certain areas,and delaying the entry of essential supplies. They say these restrictions are making it increasingly tough to provide life-saving assistance to the population.

the Israeli government has defended its actions, saying that it is indeed necessary to ensure the security of its citizens and to prevent weapons from falling into the hands of Hamas. However, aid organizations argue that the restrictions are disproportionate and are causing unneeded suffering to civilians.

The threat to revoke visas is the latest in a series of actions taken by Israel to control the flow of information about the conflict. In recent months, the government has shut down several Palestinian media outlets and arrested journalists. It has also accused foreign journalists of bias and has restricted their access to Gaza.

aid groups fear the visa threats are part of a broader effort to stifle criticism and prevent scrutiny of Israel’s actions in Gaza, including potential evidence of war crimes.They also worry about the chilling effect this will have on reporting the truth and holding perpetrators accountable, particularly considering accusations of genocide and the denial of the October 7 atrocities.

many of these aid groups have published detailed reports on aid restrictions by Israel, and their international staff and medics have provided first-hand accounts from Gaza. These have been widely quoted by the media and could be used against Israel in international courts as it fights genocide and war crimes charges.

Palestinian Boy’s Remarkable Journey to U.S. for Life-Saving Heart Surgery

Eight-year-old Muhammad Abu Salmiya of Gaza arrived in the United States on January 8,2026,to receive critical heart surgery at Nemours Children’s Hospital in Wilmington,Delaware. His case highlights the challenges faced by Palestinian children seeking medical care outside of Gaza, and the efforts of organizations working to facilitate such journeys.

Muhammad suffers from a complex congenital heart defect requiring specialized treatment unavailable in Gaza due to the ongoing conflict and limited medical resources. According to a statement released by the Palestine Children’s relief Fund (PCRF) on January 9, 2026, Muhammad’s condition was deteriorating rapidly, making immediate intervention essential.

“Muhammad’s case is particularly urgent. Without this surgery, his prognosis was very poor,” said Dr. Hani al-Masri, a PCRF volunteer physician, in the January 9th statement.

The PCRF, a non-profit organization, coordinated Muhammad’s travel and medical care in collaboration with Nemours Children’s Hospital. The organization has facilitated the medical treatment of over 2,000 Palestinian children in the U.S.since 1991, according to data published on their website https://www.pcrf.net/.

The journey was fraught with difficulties, requiring multiple approvals and coordination with various authorities to secure Muhammad’s passage out of Gaza and into the U.S. The Rafah border crossing, controlled by Egypt and Gaza, was opened specifically to allow Muhammad and his father, Abu Salmiya, to travel.

Nemours Children’s Hospital has a dedicated international patient program and a team of specialists prepared to treat Muhammad’s condition. The surgery is scheduled for January 15, 2026, and is expected to take several hours. hospital spokesperson, Sarah Miller, confirmed the surgery date in a press release on January 10, 2026.

The cost of Muhammad’s treatment, including surgery, hospitalization, and post-operative care, is estimated at $250,000. The PCRF is covering the expenses through donations and fundraising efforts. Individuals interested in contributing can donate through the PCRF website.

Muhammad’s story underscores the urgent need for improved access to healthcare for children in Gaza.The World Health Organization reported in December 2025 that Gaza’s healthcare system has been severely strained by the ongoing conflict, with shortages of essential medicines and medical supplies.