MSF Says Israel Is 'Slowly Suffocating' Gaza and Committing Genocide

The international humanitarian organisation Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) — also known as Doctors Without Borders — has issued a stark condemnation of Israel's military conduct in Gaza, accusing it of "progressively asphyxiating" the territory and "continuing its genocide" against the Palestinian population. MSF, one of the few international medical NGOs still operating inside Gaza, made the statements as the humanitarian situation in the enclave continues to deteriorate sharply. The organisation has been one of the most vocal critics of the blockade on food, medicine, fuel, and other essential supplies that it says has brought Gaza's healthcare system to the point of collapse. **What MSF is saying** According to MSF, the restrictions on humanitarian access are not incidental to the conflict — they are deliberate. The organisation characterises Israel's strategy as one of systematic strangulation: cutting off supplies, destroying medical infrastructure, and leaving civilians with no safe place to seek care or shelter. MSF has repeatedly reported that its medical teams are operating in impossible conditions — hospitals without electricity, surgical teams without anaesthesia, and wards overwhelmed by casualties from ongoing strikes. The use of the word "genocide" by MSF is significant. The term carries a specific legal meaning under international law, referring to acts committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group. South Africa brought a genocide case against Israel before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in late 2023, which remains ongoing. **Why this matters beyond Gaza** For readers in Mauritius and across the African continent, the Gaza conflict has become a defining international justice issue. Mauritius, as a member of the African Union and the United Nations, has aligned itself broadly with calls for a ceasefire and humanitarian access. The AU has also expressed support for South Africa's ICJ case. MSF's statements add weight to calls from civil society and governments worldwide for an immediate and sustained ceasefire, full humanitarian corridors, and accountability for violations of international humanitarian law. Israel has consistently denied accusations of genocide, arguing that its military operations are aimed at dismantling Hamas — the militant group that governs Gaza and carried out the October 7, 2023 attacks that killed approximately 1,200 Israelis. Israel maintains that civilian casualties result from Hamas's use of populated areas for military purposes. MSF rejects this framing, saying the scale and nature of civilian harm — including the systematic destruction of hospitals, water systems, and food supply chains — cannot be justified under international law regardless of the military objectives cited. The organisation continues to call on all parties with influence, including Western governments, to use every available lever to halt what it describes as a catastrophe unfolding in plain sight. Source: Le Défi Media