Israel to shutter Doctors Without Borders’ Gaza operations over Palestinian staff list dispute

Israel moves to shut down Doctors Without Borders in Gaza as Rafah crossing set for limited reopening

Israel said it is terminating the humanitarian operations of Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) in the Gaza Strip after the group failed to provide a list of its Palestinian staff, as authorities prepare a partial reopening of the Rafah crossing for people.

The Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism said it is “moving to terminate the activities of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in the Gaza Strip” because of “MSF’s failure to submit lists of local employees, a requirement applicable to all humanitarian organizations operating in the region.” The ministry said the group would cease work and leave Gaza by Feb. 28.

The move comes as Israel prepares to reopen Rafah, the enclave’s only crossing that does not pass through Israel, for the limited movement of people after months of closure. The crossing has largely been shut since Israeli forces seized it in May 2024 during the war with Hamas, aside from a brief, constrained reopening in early 2025.

COGAT, the Israeli defense ministry body overseeing civil affairs in the occupied Palestinian territories, said the Rafah crossing “will open today in both directions, for limited movement of people only.” Entry and exit will be coordinated with Egypt, require prior security clearance by Israel, and occur under the supervision of a European Union mission, it said.

Key details remain unclear, including how many people will be approved to cross and whether those seeking to return to Gaza will be permitted entry. A source at the border told AFP Friday would be devoted largely to preparations and logistics. Three sources at the crossing said a trial opening would allow the passage of wounded individuals ahead of a wider, regular reopening expected Saturday. No agreement has been reached on daily quotas, the sources said, adding that Egypt plans to admit “all Palestinians whom Israel authorizes to leave.”

“Every day that passes drains my life and worsens my condition,” said Mohammed Shamiya, 33, who has kidney disease and requires dialysis treatment abroad. “I’m waiting every moment for the opening of the Rafah land crossing,” he said.

Israel had previously said Rafah would not reopen until the remains of the last Israeli hostage held in Gaza, Ran Gvili, were returned. His remains were recovered this week and he was buried in Israel on Wednesday.

The crossing lies in an area held by Israeli forces following their withdrawal behind the “Yellow Line” under a U.S.-brokered cease-fire that took effect Oct. 10. The truce’s second phase calls for reopening the crossing after the return of all Israeli hostages held by Palestinian militants. Israeli troops still control more than half of Gaza, with the remainder under Hamas authority.

The reopening is expected to facilitate the entry of a 15-member Palestinian technocratic body, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, established to oversee day-to-day governance for the territory’s 2.2 million residents. The committee, led by former Palestinian Authority deputy minister Ali Shaath, is to operate under the supervision of the so-called “Board of Peace” chaired by U.S. President Donald Trump, according to the arrangement.

Violence continued ahead of the border move. Gaza’s civil defense agency, which operates under Hamas authority, reported at least 32 people, including children, were killed Thursday in Israeli airstrikes. Israel’s military said the strikes were retaliation for an incident in which eight Palestinian fighters exited a tunnel in Rafah, an act it said violated the cease-fire.

By Abdiwahab Ahmed

Axadle Times international–Monitoring.