MSF condemns Israel's 'use of aid as a tool of war'

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has condemned Israel’s “use of aid as a tool of war in Gaza.”

In a statement released yesterday, the medical organisation said it “strongly condemns” the Israeli-imposed siege on the Gaza Strip, which deprives Palestinian civilians of basic services and vital supplies, “including access to water by cutting electricity”.

Israel is using “collective punishment” and has “instrumentalised humanitarian needs by using it as a bargaining chip” during a period when negotiations are due to be held on the second phase of the ceasefire deal.

“Israeli authorities are yet again normalising the use of aid as a negotiation tool. This is outrageous. Humanitarian aid should never be used as a bargaining chip in war,” said Myriam Laaroussi, MSF emergency coordinator. “The blockade on all supplies is inevitably hurting hundreds of thousands of people and is having deadly consequences.”

“A ceasefire without scaling up humanitarian aid is contradictory,” she warned, adding that the group’s hands would be tied if fuel isn’t allowed into the enclave.

MSF called on “Israeli authorities to respect international humanitarian law and uphold its responsibilities as an occupying power, and to end this inhumane blockade of the Strip.”

Adding that Israel’s allies, who have “ignored this grave violation of international humanitarian law” must “refrain from normalising such actions” and act “to prevent Gaza from plunging further into devastation.”

On 2 March, when the ceasefire deal was due to go into its second phase, Israel announced that it had closed all crossings into Gaza, besieging the devastated Strip. One week later it cut the electricity supply to Gaza’s last remaining desalination plant leaving Palestinians with no way to access clean water.

Critics have warned that Israel is trying to force Palestinians to extend the first phase of the ceasefire deal,see the release of the Israeli captives held in Gaza in return for no concessions from the occupation state. It would then return to bombing the enclave in an effort to force Palestinians out of it.

UNICEF: 90% of Palestinians in Gaza lack access to clean water