Gazans' Trauma Will Endure, But Violence Must Stop Now

This is no longer a conflict. For over 14 months, the people of Gaza have endured unimaginable suffering, ensnared in what can only be described as a death trap.

- FARHAT MANTOO

This is no longer a conflict. For over 14 months, the people of Gaza have endured unimaginable suffering, ensnared in what can only be described as a death trap. The latest report from Médecins Sans Frontières or Doctors Without Borders reveals a heart-wrenching reality: the people of Gaza are fighting for survival amid constant bombardment, an oppressive blockade and the deliberate withholding of life-saving aid.

I have seen my fair share of humanitarian crises. But what is unfolding in Gaza is beyond anything I have encountered in my career—a systematic dismantling of an entire society.

In the span of just one year, from October 2023 to October 2024, MSF staff has faced 41 attacks and violent incidents. These weren't mere close calls—they included airstrikes, shelling and violent intrusions into health facilities. In fact, our medical personnel and patients were forced to evacuate hospitals and health facilities 17 times, often in desperate attempts to save their own lives. This grim reality exposes the perilous conditions faced by humanitarian workers in Gaza, where even those dedicated to saving lives find themselves constantly at risk.

My colleague Christopher Lockyear, MSF's secretary general, recently shared insights from his visit to Gaza: "The recent military offensive in the north is a stark illustration of the brutal war being waged, with clear signs of ethnic cleansing as Palestinians are forcibly displaced, trapped and bombed."