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As famine spreads across Gaza, our colleagues and those we serve are wasting away

More than 100 organisations issue an urgent call to allow humanitarian aid through

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As the siege imposed by the Israeli government starves Gaza’s population, humanitarian workers are now lining up at the same food distributions, risking being shot simply for trying to feed their families. With supplies now completely depleted, aid organisations are watching their own staff and partners waste away before their eyes.

Exactly two months after the launch of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation—an organisation overseen by the Israeli government—over one hundred organisations are raising the alarm, urging governments to act. They are calling for: the opening of all land crossings; the full restoration of food, clean water, medical supplies, basic essentials and fuel via a UN-led mechanism based on humanitarian principles; an end to the siege; and the implementation of an immediate ceasefire.

“Every morning, the same question echoes across the Gaza Strip: will I eat today?” reported a representative from one of the organisations.

Massacres are occurring on an almost daily basis at food distribution sites in Gaza. As of 13 July, the UN confirmed that 875 Palestinians had been killed while trying to access food—201 of them on aid delivery routes, with the rest at distribution points. Thousands more have been injured.

At the same time, Israeli forces have forcibly displaced nearly two million exhausted people. The most recent mass displacement order, issued on 20 July, has confined the Palestinian population to less than 12% of Gaza’s territory. The World Food Programme warns that current conditions are making operations unmanageable. Starving civilians as a method of warfare constitutes a war crime.

Just outside Gaza, in warehouses, and even within Gaza itself, tonnes of food, drinking water, medical supplies, basic goods, and fuel remain untouched. Humanitarian organisations are being blocked from accessing or distributing them.

The restrictions, delays and fragmentation imposed by the Israeli government under its total siege have created chaos, famine, and death. A humanitarian worker providing psychosocial support described the devastating impact on children: “Children tell their parents they want to go to heaven, because at least there, there’s food.”

Doctors are reporting record levels of acute malnutrition, especially among children and the elderly. Diseases such as acute diarrhoea are spreading, markets are empty, rubbish is piling up, and adults are collapsing in the streets from hunger and dehydration. On average, only 28 aid trucks are entering Gaza each day; far from sufficient for over two million people, many of whom have received no aid in weeks.

The UN-led humanitarian system has not failed; it has been prevented from functioning.

Humanitarian agencies have the capacity and resources to respond on a large scale. But with access denied, we are unable to reach those in need, including our own exhausted, starving teams.

On 10 July, the European Union and Israel announced new measures to scale up humanitarian assistance. But these promises of “progress” ring hollow without meaningful change on the ground. Every day without sustained humanitarian aid means more people dying of preventable diseases. Children are starving while waiting for promises that never materialise.

Palestinians are trapped in a cycle of hope and despair, waiting for aid and a ceasefire, only to wake each day to ever-worsening conditions. This is not only physical suffering; it is psychological trauma. Survival feels like a mirage. The humanitarian system cannot operate on empty promises. Aid organisations cannot function on shifting timelines or await political commitments that fail to deliver access to the population.

Governments must stop waiting for permission to act. We cannot continue to hope the current arrangements will work. It is time to take decisive action: demand an immediate and permanent ceasefire; lift all bureaucratic and administrative restrictions; open all land crossings; ensure access to all people throughout the Gaza Strip; reject military-controlled distribution models; restore a humanitarian response led by the UN and grounded in humanitarian principles; and continue funding impartial, principled humanitarian organisations. States must take concrete steps to end the siege, including halting the transfer of weapons and ammunition.

Fragmentary measures and symbolic gestures, such as airdrops or inadequate aid deals, only serve to mask inaction. They cannot replace the legal and moral obligations of states to protect Palestinian civilians and ensure meaningful, large-scale access. States can and must save lives—before there are no lives left to save.

Signatories

1. American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
2. A.M. Qattan Foundation
3. A New Policy
4. ACT Alliance
5. Action Against Hunger (ACF)
6. Action for Humanity
7. ActionAid International
8. American Baptist Churches Palestine Justice Network
9. Amnesty International
10. Asamblea de Cooperación por la Paz
11. Associazione Cooperazione e Solidarietà (ACS)
12. Bystanders No More
13. Campain
14. CARE
15. Caritas Germany
16. Caritas Internationalis
17. Caritas Jerusalem
18. Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD)
19. Center for Mind-Body Medicine (CMBM)
20. CESVI Fondazione
21. Children Not Numbers
22. Christian Aid
23. Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP)
24. CIDSE- International Family of Catholic Social Justice Organisations
25. Cooperazione Internazionale Sud Sud (CISS)
26. Council for Arab‑British Understanding (CAABU)
27. DanChurchAid (DCA)
28. Danish Refugee Council (DRC)
29. Development and Peace – Caritas Canada
30. Doctors against Genocide
31. Episcopal Peace Fellowship
32. EuroMed Rights
33. Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL)
34. Forum Ziviler Friedensdienst e.V.
35. Gender Action for Peace and Security
36. Glia
37. Global Legal Action Network (GLAN)
38. Global Witness
39. Health Workers 4 Palestine
40. HelpAge International
41. Human Concern International
42. Humanity & Inclusion (HI)
43. Humanity First UK
44. Indiana Center for Middle East Peace
45. Insecurity Insight
46. International Media Support
47. International NGO Safety Organisation
48. Islamic Relief
49. Jahalin Solidarity
50. Japan International Volunteer Center (JVC)
51. Justice for All
52. Kenya Association of Muslim Medical Professionals (KAMMP)
53. Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation
54. MedGlobal
55. Medico International
56. Medico International Switzerland (medico international schweiz)
57. Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP)
58. Mennonite Central Committee (MCC)
59. Medicine for the People – Belgium (MPLP/GVHV)
60. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)
61. Médecins du Monde/ Doctors of the World
62. Mercy Corps
63. Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA)
64. Movement for Peace (MPDL)
65. Muslim Aid
66. National Justice and Peace Network in England and Wales
67. Nonviolence International
68. Norwegian Aid Committee (NORWAC)
69. Norwegian Church Aid (NCA)
70. Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA)
71. Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)
72. Oxfam International
73. Pax Christi England and Wales
74. Pax Christi International
75. Pax Christi Merseyside
76. Pax Christi USA
77. Pal Law Commission
78. Palestinian American Medical Association
79. Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF)
80. Palestinian Medical Relief Society (PMRS)
81. Peace Direct
82. Peace Winds
83. Pediatricians for Palestine
84. People in Need
85. Plan International
86. Première Urgence Internationale (PUI)
87. Progettomondo
88. Project HOPE
89. Quaker Palestine Israel Network
90. Rebuilding Alliance
91. Refugees International
92. Saferworld
93. Sabeel‑Kairos UK
94. Save the Children (SCI)
95. Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund
96. Solidarités International
97. Støtteforeningen Det Danske Hus i Palæstina
98. Swiss Church Aid (HEKS/EPER)
99. Terre des Hommes Italia
100. Terre des Hommes Lausanne
101. Terre des Hommes Nederland
102. The Borgen Project
103. The Center for Mind-Body Medicine (CMBM)
104. The Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect (GCR2P)
105. The International Development and Relief Foundation
106. The Institute for the Understanding of Anti‑Palestinian Racism
107. Un Ponte Per (UPP)
108. United Against Inhumanity (UAI)
109. War Child Alliance
110. War Child UK
111. War on Want
112. Weltfriedensdienst e.V.
113. Welthungerhilfe (WHH)

Crossing the red line – UK medics and healthcare workers call for an end to the atrocities in Gaza

Wearing red clothing to symbolise the red lines crossed during the conflict in Gaza, medics and supporters demonstrated in Westminster’s Parliament Square today in a call for the UK government to end the atrocities.

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Amidst chants of “Stop attacking patients. Stop attacking ambulances. Stop attacking nurses. Stop attacking hospitals. Stop attacking doctors,” they linked arms in a show of unity with those killed, injured or kidnapped over the last 21 months.

At least 94 per cent of hospitals in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed. More than 1,500 health workers have now been killed.* Ambulances have been bombed, medical aid is being held at the border, and patients are unable to access vital care.

The event was organised by the Red Line for Gaza coalition that includes Doctors of the World, Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF), War Child UK, Oxfam, Medical Aid for Palestinians, British Medical Association, Choose Love, Quakers in Britain, Christian Aid, All We Can, Amos Trust, Anti-Slavery International, Greenpeace, Islamic Relief, Mothers Manifesto, and Humanity & Inclusion.

Simon Tyler, Executive Director of Doctors of the World, read out the testimony of doctor and Field Coordinator in Gaza, detailing her experience in Gaza.

“Hello everyone.
As a doctor in Gaza, I wake up every day to the sound of drones that do not stop, and the uncertainty of my own survival.
We operate in primary health care centers, which are overwhelmed, under-resourced, and stretched beyond limit. And the clinics, hospitals, field hospitals, medical points, doctors and nurses, they treat gunshots on top of cases of malnutrition, delivering babies without anesthesia, comforting families who have lost everything and trying to respond to the mental health needs of the population.

Antibiotics, gauze, saline, skin medications, clean water. They are not basic supplies anymore. They’ve been made luxury items. The patients are no longer just sick; they are starving, traumatized, and displaced.

Health is not affected only by the physical component of our body. It is affected by the social impairments of health, including nutrition, mental health, living conditions which are totally collapsed in the Gaza Strip.

There is a high level of malnutrition among every person in Gaza, including for children and pregnant women. Over 90% of the population are displaced and 2/3 of the population are traumatized.
In addition, children arrive in the clinics, suffering from respiratory infection from living in tense and crowded areas.

There is no cooking gas in the country, so people use some basic tools to cook what they can, including firing woods and some artificial fuel that are very toxic. Mothers who are lactating cannot produce milk for their infants because they themselves suffer from malnutrition. There is no formula milk in the country, so babies, as a result, they suffer from malnutrition.

We have watched entire communities be reduced to rubble, school, mosques, hospitals.
None are spared, and yet we go on. Our doctors here and the medical team in general, they continue because we believe that our people deserve dignity, and this is part of the humanitarian work we do.

So, I want to tell people that even now, even in this humanitarian crisis and even in this public health catastrophe, we keep going, but we need support.

We will have a generation of children who will grow up without proper nutrition, education, nor mental health care.

So we need protection, we need justice, and we need access to basic humanitarian rights.
We need to end this siege, to end the bombings, and to have a safe corridor for aid and freedom to care for our people without risking our lives.

Thanks a lot everyone. I hope that this message can reach the free people of the world.“

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Press contact: media@doctorsoftheworld.org.uk

GAZA: Starvation or Gunfire –  This is Not a Humanitarian Response

NGOs call for immediate action to end the deadly Israeli distribution scheme (including the so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation) in Gaza, revert to the existing UN-led coordination mechanisms, and lift the Israeli government’s blockade on aid and commercial supplies.

The 400 aid distribution points operating during the temporary ceasefire across Gaza have now been replaced by just four military-controlled distribution sites, forcing two million people into overcrowded, militarised zones where they face daily gunfire and mass casualties while trying to access food and are denied other life-saving supplies.

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Today, Palestinians in Gaza face an impossible choice: starve or risk being shot while trying desperately to reach food to feed their families. The weeks following the launch of the Israeli distribution scheme have been some of the deadliest and most violent since October 2023. 

In less than four weeks, more than 500 Palestinians have been killed and almost 4,000 injured just trying to access or distribute food. Israeli forces and armed groups – some reportedly operating with backing from Israeli authorities – now routinely open fire on desperate civilians risking everything just to survive.

The humanitarian system is being deliberately and systematically dismantled by the Government of Israel’s blockade and restrictions, a blockade now being used to justify shutting down nearly all other aid operations in favour of a deadly, military-controlled alternative that neither protects civilians nor meets basic needs. These measures are designed to sustain a cycle of desperation, danger, and death. Experienced humanitarian actors remain ready to deliver life-saving assistance at scale. Yet more than 100 days since Israeli authorities reimposed a near-total blockade on aid and commercial goods, Gaza’s humanitarian conditions are collapsing faster than at any point in the past 20 months.

Under the Israeli government’s new scheme, starved and weakened civilians are being forced to trek for hours through dangerous terrain and active conflict zones, only to face a violent, chaotic race to reach fenced, militarised distribution sites with a single entry point. There, thousands are released into chaotic enclosures to fight for limited food supplies. These areas have become sites of repeated massacres in blatant disregard for international humanitarian law. Orphaned children and caregivers are among the dead, with children harmed in over half of the attacks on civilians at these sites. With Gaza’s healthcare system in ruins, many of those shot are left to bleed out alone, beyond the reach of ambulances and denied lifesaving medical care. 

Amidst severe hunger and famine-like conditions, many families tell us they are now too weak to compete for food rations. Those who do manage to obtain food often return with only a few basic items – nearly impossible to prepare without clean water or fuel to cook with. Fuel is nearly depleted, bringing critical lifesaving services – including bakeries, water systems, ambulances, and hospitals – to a standstill. Families are sheltering under plastic sheets, operating makeshift kitchens amid the rubble, without fuel, clean water, sanitation, or electricity. 

This is not a humanitarian response.

Concentrating more than two million people into further confined areas for a chance to feed their families is not a plan to save lives. For 20 months, more than two million people have been subjected to relentless bombardment, the weaponisation of food, water and other aid, repeated forced displacement, and systematic dehumanisation – all under the watch of the international community. The Sphere Association, which sets minimum standards for quality humanitarian aid, has warned that the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s approach does not adhere to core humanitarian standards and principles.

This normalisation of suffering must not be allowed to stand. States must reject the false choice between deadly, military-controlled food distributions and total denial of aid. States must uphold their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law, including prohibitions on forced displacement, indiscriminate attacks, and obstruction of humanitarian aid. States must ensure accountability for grave violations of international law. 

We, the undersigned organisations, once again call on all third states to:

• Take concrete measures to end the suffocating siege and uphold the right of civilians in Gaza to safely access aid and receive protection. 
• Urge donors not to fund militarised aid schemes that violate international law, do not adhere to humanitarian principles, deepen harm, and risk complicity in atrocities. 
• Support the restoration of a unified, UN-led coordination mechanism—grounded in international humanitarian law and inclusive of UNRWA, Palestinian civil society, and the wider humanitarian community—to meet people’s needs.

We reiterate our urgent calls for an immediate and sustained ceasefire, the release of all hostages and arbitrarily detained prisoners, full humanitarian access at scale, and an end to the pervasive impunity that enables these atrocities and denies Palestinians their basic dignity. 

Editor’s Note

• On 15 June, the Red Cross field hospital in Al Mawasi received at least 170 patients injured while trying to reach a food distribution site. The following day, 16 June, more than 200 patients arrived at the same facility – the highest number recorded in a single mass casualty incident in Gaza. Of that number, 28 Palestinians were declared dead. A WHO official underscored the deadly pattern: “The recent food distribution initiatives by non-UN actors every time result in mass casualty incidents.”
  
• These deaths add to the broader toll: since October 2023, over 56,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, including at least 17,000 children.

Signatories: You can check the full list of signatories here 

1. American Friends Service Committee
2. Amnesty International
3. Anera
4. Bisan Center for Research and Development
5. Fund for Global Human Rights
6. Islamic Relief Worldwide
7. Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation
8. Doctors of the World (Médecins du Monde)
9. Médecins Sans Frontières
10. MedGlobal
11. Medical Aid for Palestinians
12. Mennonite Central Committee
13. Middle East Children’s Alliance
14. Norwegian People’s Aid
15. Norwegian Refugee Council
16. Oxfam International
17. Pax Christi International
18. Saferworld
19. Save the Children
20. Terres des Hommes Italia
21. War Child Alliance

New Attack On A Doctors Of The World Office In Gaza: A Violation Of International Law 

At 11:05 a.m. (Palestine time) yesterday, a building located in Deir El Balah, housing a Doctors of the World office, was attacked by drones. 

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On June 10th, around 11:00 a.m. local time, a building located in Deir El Balah that houses a Doctors of the World office was attacked by drones. The office was clearly identified and registered with the Israeli military authorities. Initial reports indicate that at least eight people were killed as a result of the bombing: four children, one teenager, and three adults, all on the top floor of the building, which was directly hit by the projectile. Because yesterday was a holiday due to the celebration of Eid, no staff from the organisation were inside at the time of the attack, so the entire Doctors of the World team is safe. 

Doctors of the World had previously informed the Israeli military of the presence of its office in this building, which is officially declared “deconflicted,” meaning protected from Israeli military attacks under humanitarian coordination agreements. However, as has happened in previous Israeli attacks, the organisation’s team did not receive any prior warning that would have allowed evacuation of the building or protective measures for possible occupants. 

After the attack, the Coordination and Liaison Office (CLA), responsible for authorising and coordinating the movements of humanitarian personnel within the Gaza Strip, has not provided any explanation despite being contacted by Doctors of the World. 

The building is located in Deir El Balah, an area that hosts numerous offices of non-governmental organisations and had until now remained relatively spared from bombings and destruction zones in Gaza. This area is also sheltering displaced populations from the northern Gaza Strip and the Khan Yunis area, highlighting the humanitarian importance of the Doctors of the World office there. 

This attack represents a serious violation of International Humanitarian Law, which protects both the civilian population and humanitarian organisations operating in conflict settings, and the second time Doctors of the World office in Gaza has been targeted and destroyed (February 2024).

“This is the second time our offices in Gaza have been targeted and destroyed, despite being clearly identified, registered with Israeli authorities, and officially deconflicted. It is unacceptable that humanitarian spaces are repeatedly struck with impunity by Israeli forces. We call on third states to move beyond condemnation and take concrete measures to uphold international humanitarian law and protect humanitarian workers and civilians in Gaza.” 

Simon Tyler , Doctors of the World Director

Contact media@doctorsoftheworld.org.uk

Yemen: Humanitarian Organisations Call for Immediate Action

29 Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) operating in Yemen, including Doctors of the World, call on the international community to renew its commitment to the Yemeni people. Major challenges now threaten to undermine hard-won progress and plunge millions of vulnerable individuals across the country into deeper crisis.

Doctors of the World express our deep concern at the significant deterioration in the situation in Yemen since the sixth gathering. Amid ongoing funding cuts, the country is now facing an increasingly complex and interlinked set of challenges, which have worsened since the beginning of 2025. These developments are hampering humanitarian and development efforts, making it even more difficult to reach millions of people in acute need. As frontline responders committed to serving those most in need, we remain ready to provide life-saving assistance, thanks to the generosity of our donors. In 2024, our collective efforts supported more than eight million people across Yemen.

Since the start of 2025, numerous projects have been halted, disrupting the provision of essential goods, services, and healthcare infrastructure – including hospitals. Vaccination campaigns and centres, which are particularly important for women and girls, have also been suspended. As a result, both emergency relief and longer-term support operations are now out of reach for many in need. Without swift alternatives to fill these gaps, an already dire situation will continue to deteriorate. The longer vital interventions are delayed, the more complex and costly they will be to reinstate.

We call on the international community to act now and take coordinated steps to prevent irreversible harm to millions of Yemenis. Furthermore, we urge donors to uphold a principled, impartial approach, ensuring that funding is allocated solely on the basis of urgent need, regardless of geographical location within the country.

Today, we continue to face numerous barriers that prevent us from reaching the most deprived communities. In recent months, civilian infrastructure has been destroyed in multiple locations by aerial military strikes. These attacks have occurred in a country already weakened by severely degraded systems and services. It is essential to highlight the devastating toll on civilians, including loss of life and injury. Targeting essential infrastructure only compounds economic and psychological hardship, while further limiting humanitarian actors’ ability to deliver life-saving assistance to those most at risk.

Humanitarian workers, dedicated to delivering donor-funded programmes, face increasing threats to their safety and security. As June 6th approaches, a significant number of staff from the United Nations, international NGOs, and civil society organisations remain detained – some for nearly a year. This raises serious and growing concerns for their safety and well-being.

We urge all parties to respect international humanitarian law, to protect civilians, and to refrain from targeting civilian infrastructure. We also call on Member States to prioritise both the immediate and longer-term humanitarian consequences of conflict escalation, and to amplify their calls for the protection of civilian infrastructure.

We appeal to the relevant authorities to ensure that humanitarian personnel are able to carry out their duties, and to secure the immediate and unconditional release of those detained so they may return safely to their families and normal lives.

We further call on key regional states, the international community, and influential partners to support all efforts to secure the release of detained humanitarian workers and safeguard the humanitarian space.

Our ability to provide essential services to the most vulnerable continues to be impeded by extensive sanctions regimes and a complex web of restrictive measures in northern Yemen. These include obstacles to transferring funds, limited access to banking channels, difficulties sourcing goods, and restrictions on commercial imports. The cumulative impact of these measures is felt across the entire country, threatening to seriously disrupt the supply of fuel, medicine, medical equipment, food, and other vital humanitarian assistance, as well as the functioning of essential infrastructure and services.

We urgently call on the international community to promote the establishment of broad-based humanitarian exemptions. These are critical to ensuring that aid reaches the most vulnerable, preserving the core principles of humanitarian action, and protecting the humanitarian space.

Over recent months, the Yemeni population has become increasingly vulnerable and in need of enhanced protection, even as the ability to respond diminishes. The situation affects more than two million people, including women and girls who face heightened risks. Without immediate assistance, millions of women and girls will lose access to essential services that protect them from violence and help them cope with deteriorating mental health. This puts them at greater risk of depression, self-harm, and suicide. Child marriage, human trafficking, begging, and child labour are all on the rise. Protection must not be treated as an afterthought – it must be a central pillar of every humanitarian and development effort.

We call on all Member States who attended the Senior Officials Meeting to ensure that age, gender and disability protection is placed at the heart of the collective response. Neglecting protection will only deepen the suffering of those already most in need.

Budget cuts are having a particularly damaging impact on civil society organisations (CSOs) in Yemen – especially women-led and women’s rights organisations (WLOs and WROs), many of which are now at risk of shutting down. The time has come for the humanitarian and donor communities to offer their unequivocal support to national and local NGOs – including backing the leadership of WLOs and WROs, and ensuring their meaningful, safe, and direct participation in both local and national response efforts.

We urge donors to increase direct, flexible funding for local actors, who are often the first to respond and best placed to deliver assistance. Where intermediaries are necessary, support must reinforce rather than replace local leadership, through tangible investments in collaboration, accountability, capacity-building, and risk-sharing.

Today, the stakes could not be higher. The international community must act decisively to prevent further tragedy and irreversible harm. As the suffering of the Yemeni people deepens, so too must our resolve to act swiftly and uphold the humanitarian principles we collectively stand for. We must restore hope for the people of Yemen – and we cannot abandon a population in such desperate need.

The UK Government must close Wethersfield asylum camp

For over one year, Doctors of the World, in partnership with Médecins Sans Frontières, ran a primary healthcare mobile clinic outside the main gates of the former RAF base at Wethersfield. Between November 2023 and December 2024, we documented how the isolated site, which accommodates up to 800 men aged between 18 and 65, causes immense harm.  

A new report based on medical data and interviews with the men held at Wethersfield in 2024 highlights mental health distress amongst our patients and protection concerns at the site. 

“When I first saw the military camp, it was a reminder of the military camps in my home country. Very isolated atmosphere. You can’t socialise and you can’t learn.” – Wethersfield resident, 2024

“The problem is, if you are already suffering from stress and anxiety, and to be placed in such a camp where you are far away from your community and society you feel isolated.” Wethersfield resident, 2024

The top five countries of nationality of patients attending our mobile clinic were Iran, Eritrea, Afghanistan, Syria, and Sudan. As such many have fled violence, persecution and conflict and will go on to be recognised as refugees by the UK Government.

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“Most of the consultations were for psychological problems. Many people felt anxious and stressed and said Wethersfield reminds them of previous difficult experiences such as imprisonment, torture or living in areas of conflict,” Emma Withycombe, Medical Activities Manager. “It seems very cruel that people who have experienced so much hardship are now living here. Our government has chosen to accommodate people in a place that causes harm”

In the absence of safe alternatives, many people seeking safety are forced to risk their lives and take dangerous journeys to reach the UK. 

The report reveals:

A lack of safe routes to the UK

Everyone who accessed our services had crossed the Channel by small boat. In interviews, participants described dangerous journeys to get to the UK. Three quarters of patients disclosed previous experiences of violence or abuse in their countries of origin and on their journeys to the UK.

Mental health needs and impact of the site

The men we interviewed spoke about the major impact the site was having on their mental health, as well as on the mental health of those around them. 62 per cent of those accessing our service presented with severe mental distress and 30 per cent reported suicidal ideation.

Serious failures to protect and safeguard 

Our medical team observed that many individuals were accommodated onsite despite being ‘unsuitable’ according to the Home Office’s own guidance. We made a total of 226 safeguarding referrals due to concerns about individual patient safety and wellbeing. 

“People are dying at the UK borders, dying in camps and hotels. Our patients in Wethersfield have survived conflict, persecution, and harrowing journeys to the UK with no safe route to asylum. The government should not be putting refugees into camps once they arrive here.” Simon Tyler, Executive Director

Despite evidence that mass containment causes immense psychological harm and suffering, and the Government’s own promises to end its use, Wethersfield remains open. In April 2025, Prime Minister Starmer refused to set a date for when the site would close.

“It is beyond comprehension that Wethersfield remains open, a site which has been the source of intense suffering for people who came to the UK in search of safety. From MSF’s work at the site, we know many of the individuals accommodated here have experienced violence and trauma and will have complex psychological needs.” Jacob Burns, Project Manager. “We had hoped this Labour Government would establish a dignified and compassionate asylum system. Instead, we are witnessing a continuation of the same inhumane and restrictive policies, that are fundamentally failing those who are most in need of care and protection.”

We call on the UK Government to:  

• Close Wethersfield immediately and end the policy of mass containment for people seeking safety in the UK
• Place people seeking safety in the UK in dignified and safe accommodation in the community 
• Ensure access to specialist mental health support for asylum seekers in the UK 
• Home Office accommodation sites must have clear and transparent safeguarding pathways in place before opening
• Open new and expand existing safe routes for people seeking safety to reach the UK

New report – In Gaza, hunger is used as a weapon of war, warns Doctors of the World 

In an alarming report published today, Doctors of the World (Médecins du Monde) notes that in just a year and a half, acute malnutrition in Gaza has reached levels comparable to those seen in countries facing protracted humanitarian crises spanning several decades. The root cause: the siege imposed by Israeli authorities. Doctors of the World calls on States to take immediate action to prevent malnutrition-related deaths. 

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Over the past ten months, Doctors of the World has been monitoring acute malnutrition among children and pregnant and breastfeeding women in up to six health centres operating in the besieged Gaza Strip. In 2024, nearly one in four infants under the age of one and 19% of pregnant and breastfeeding women were identified as suffering from acute malnutrition*. 

• In November 2024, the rate of acute malnutrition among children reached 17%, the highest recorded level that year. This spike coincided with a dramatic drop in the number of humanitarian aid trucks allowed into the enclave in October 2024. For context, in 2022, only 0.8% of children under five in Gaza were suffering from acute malnutrition, according to the WHO. 

• The truce that came into effect on 19 January 2025 led to a partial lift of Israeli restrictions and an increase in the flow of food supplies. As a result, rates of acute malnutrition among children fell sharply, dropping from 17% in November 2024 to 2.7% by February 2025. 

• This progress was quickly reversed by the total siege of aid imposed on March 2, 2025, followed by the resumption of hostilities by the Israeli army on March 18, in violation of the ceasefire agreement. In April 2025, one in five pregnant or breastfeeding women and almost one in four children examined in Doctors of the World centres were suffering from acute malnutrition or were at high risk of acute malnutrition. 

After more than 15 months of military offensive and Israeli siege on Gaza, acute malnutrition among children and pregnant and breastfeeding women reported in the Deir Al Balah and Khan Younis governorates of Gaza reached levels similar to those in Yemen (around 11.5% in 2024 in clinics supported by Doctors of the World), a country that has suffered for more than ten years from war and is among the most food-insecure countries in the world according to UNICEF. 

“Starvation is being deliberately used as a weapon of war. The continued inaction of the UK, alongside some of the most powerful governments in the world, in the face of the Israeli authorities’ deadly blockade is indefensible – and could be judged as complicity under international law. Their “deep concern” means nothing without action. More than two million people are at stake.” – Simon Tyler, Doctors of the World Executive Director  

The facts are clear: this food crisis, which puts thousands of lives in danger, is man-made, and stems from decisions by the Israeli authorities to partially authorize or totally block humanitarian aid to Gaza. 

* According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a malnutrition rate of 10% is high, and 15% is critical. 

Note to editors: 

• From July 2024 to April 2025, Doctors of the World screened 10,740 children aged between 6 and 59 months and 3,963 pregnant and breastfeeding women as part of its nutrition program in the Gaza Strip, within its 6 primary health centres located in the governorates of Deir Al Balah, Khan Younis, Gaza and Rafah. 

•  This report is based solely on data collected from Doctors of the World’s direct operations in Gaza, and therefore provides only a partial overview of the widespread hunger caused by the Israeli authorities’ siege and military offensive. 

•  While emphasizing the human nature of the food crisis in Gaza, Doctors of the World is not in a position to declare a famine, as this would require comprehensive health data for the entire territory – data which the NGO does not possess. Whatever the terminology used, the situation described in this report is extreme and requires urgent action by third-party states. 

press contact: media@doctorsoftheworld.org.uk

Israel’s New INGO Registration Measures Are a Grave Threat to Humanitarian Operations and International Law

The undersigned 55 organisations operating in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) call for urgent action from the international community against new Israeli registration rules for international NGOs. Based on vague, broad, politicised, and open-ended criteria, these rules appear designed to assert control over independent humanitarian, development and peace-building operations, silence advocacy grounded in international humanitarian and human rights law, and further entrench Israeli control and de facto annexation of the occupied Palestinian territory.

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For over a year and a half, humanitarian organisations have continued operating despite unprecedented constraints. In 2024, they reached millions of people across the oPt with essential services – from food and water to mobile clinics, legal aid, and education. The new registration rules now threaten to shut this work down. These measures go beyond routine policy. They mark a serious escalation in restrictions on humanitarian and civic space and risk setting a dangerous precedent.

Under the new provisions, INGOs already registered in Israel may face de-registration, while new applicants risk rejection based on arbitrary, politicised allegations, such as “delegitimising Israel” or expressing support for accountability for Israeli violations of international law. Other disqualifiers include public support for a boycott of Israel within the past seven years (by staff, a partner, board member, or founder) or failure to meet exhaustive reporting requirements. By framing humanitarian and human rights advocacy as a threat to the state, Israeli authorities can shut out organisations merely for speaking out about conditions they witness on the ground, forcing INGOs to choose between delivering aid and promoting respect for the protections owed to affected people.

INGOs are further required to submit complete staff lists and other sensitive information about staff and their families to Israel when applying for registration. In a context where humanitarian and healthcare workers are routinely subject to harassment, detention, and direct attacks, this raises serious protection concerns.

These new rules are part of a broader, long-term crackdown on humanitarian and civic space, marked by heightened surveillance and attacks, and a series of actions that restrict humanitarian access, compromise staff safety, and undermine core principles of humanitarian action. They are not isolated but part of a wider pattern that includes:

• Blocking or delaying aid through arbitrary bureaucratic restrictions, logistical obstacles, and complete sieges, denying essential lifesaving supplies to Palestinians.
• Killing more than 400 humanitarian workers in Gaza, injuring and detaining countless others, and repeatedly attacking marked and notified humanitarian premises, facilities or convoys.
• Passing legislation aimed at curtailing the operations of UNRWA, the largest provider of essential services for Palestinians.
• Advancing legislation to impose a tax of up to 80 per cent on foreign government funding to Israeli NGOs, while barring them from seeking recourse through the Israeli court system – including organisations that serve as partners for INGOs to deliver assistance and uphold protections in communities facing displacement, demolitions, or settler violence.
• Suspending work visas for international staff and revoking permits for Palestinians residing in the West Bank to access Jerusalem, severely disrupting operations.
• And now, making INGO registration conditional on political and ideological alignment, undermining the neutrality, impartiality and independence of humanitarian actors.

Under international humanitarian law, occupying powers are obligated to facilitate impartial humanitarian assistance and ensure the welfare of the protected population. Any attempt to condition humanitarian access on political alignment or penalise organisations for fulfilling their mandate risks breaching this framework. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered Israel to allow unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza in three legally binding provisional measures orders in 2024. Yet, these new rules expand and institutionalise existing barriers to aid.

We call on States, donors, and the international community to:

• Use all possible means to protect humanitarian operations from measures that compromise neutrality, independence, and access – including staff list requirements, political vetting, and vague revocation clauses.
• Take concrete political and diplomatic action beyond statements of concern to ensure unhindered humanitarian access and prevent the erosion of principled aid delivery.
• Support INGOs and Palestinian and Israeli civil society organisations through legal assistance, diplomatic support, and flexible funding to help mitigate legal, financial, and reputational risks. Donors must defend principled humanitarian and human rights work.

The undersigned 55 organisations stress that engagement with the registration process to preserve critical humanitarian operations should not be misinterpreted as endorsement of these measures.

These 55 organisations remain committed to the delivery of humanitarian aid, along with development and peacebuilding services and activities that are independent, impartial, and based on need, in full accordance with international law and the humanitarian principles derived from it. INGOs stand ready to engage with Israeli authorities in good faith on administrative processes but cannot accept measures that penalise principled humanitarian work or expose staff to retaliation. These measures not only undermine assistance in the oPt but also set a dangerous precedent for humanitarian operations globally.

Signatories

• Act Church of Sweden
• ActionAid
• Alianza / ActionAid Spain (ApS/AAS)
• American Friends Service Committee(AFSC)
• Anera
• Asamblea de Cooperación Por la Paz (ACPP)
• Asociación Paz con Dignidad
• CARE International
• CESVI
• Children Not Numbers
• Christian Aid
• CIDSE – International family ofCatholic social justice organisations
• Cooperazione Internazionale Sud Sud(CISS)
• COSPE
• DanChurchAid (DCA)
• Danish House in Palestine
• Diakonia International HumanitarianLaw Centre
• Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe
• forumZFD
• Global Communities
• HEKS/EPER
• Humanity First UK
• Humanity & Inclusion – HandicapInternational
• IM Swedish Development Partner
• International Media Support (IMS)
• Islamic Relief Worldwide
• Japan International Volunteer Center(JVC)
• KURVE Wustrow
• MedGlobal
• Mennonite Central Committee (MCC)
• Doctors of the World – Médecins du Monde (MdM) France, Médecins du Monde (MdM) Spain, Médecins du Monde (MdM) Switzerland
• Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)
• medico international
• Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA)
• Movement for Peace (MPDL)
• Muslim Aid
• Norwegian Church Aid (NCA)
• Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA)
• Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)
• Oxfam
• Pax Christi International
• Plan International
• Polish Medical Mission Association (PMM)
• Première Urgence Internationale (PUI)
• Relief International (RI)
• Save the Children International (SCI)
• Secours Islamique France (SIF)
• Terre des Hommes (Tdh) Italia
• Terre des Hommes (Tdh) Lausanne
• The Center for Mind-Body Medicine
• War Child
• Weltfriedensdienst e.V. (world peace service)
• West Bank Protection Consortium (WBPC)

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Dozens Killed, Hundreds Injured in Attacks in Sumy – Doctors of the World Condemns Repeated Attacks Against Civilians in Ukraine

On Sunday, April 12, 2025, two ballistic missiles struck the city center of Sumy, killing 35 people, including children, and injuring at least 119, according to Reuters. The attack targeted a densely populated area, including Sumy State University, where Doctors of the World was scheduled to conduct a mental health training session at the end of the month. The seminar was planned at this university precisely because it had been identified as one of the few locations in the city offering appropriate shelter during emergencies. As civilian infrastructure, the university building is protected under International Humanitarian Law and should not have been targeted.

A Russian drone killed three people, including a child, in the southern Ukrainian city of Dnipro on the night of April 16th. At least 30 people were injured. Doctors of the World, which has an office in Dnipro, strongly condemns the attacks on such densely populated areas.

“We’ve had attacks like these almost every night for the past month or so – it has sadly become our new reality. There have been a couple of rough nights. But we have no choice but to adapt and to continue helping the people who need us.” David Schuster, Ukraine General Coordinator, based in Dnipro.

Doctors of the World has maintained a continuous presence in Ukraine since 2014, operating across 13 oblasts and providing essential healthcare and psychosocial support to war-affected communities. Since the escalation of the war in 2022, with particular intensity in recent weeks, we have observed repeated attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, including health facilities and personnel. On April 1, 2025, the Chornobaivka outpatient clinic, supported by Doctors of the World, was attacked by artillery shelling. In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Nikopol city and surrounding areas, health facilities and civilian infrastructure are regularly targeted by missiles from the Russian controlled areas of Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

Across the country, these attacks on civilians and on civilian and relief infrastructure are worsening the humanitarian situation while drastically reducing humanitarian actors’ capacity to respond and engage in recovery efforts. As a humanitarian actor, we strongly call for independent, transparent, and comprehensive investigations into all attacks targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, particularly health facilities. The fight against impunity is vital for the respect of International Humanitarian Law.

In regions like Sumy, where infrastructure is rapidly deteriorating and humanitarian needs are escalating, our work is not only urgent—it is lifesaving. We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to stand with communities affected by the war in Ukraine, to call for their protection, and to continue delivering vital medical and psychosocial care across the country. Wherever people are, and however hard it becomes.

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Photo © Jean Pierre Amigo

“Let us do our jobs“ — CEOs of Major Aid Groups in Gaza Warn Aid System Is Collapsing

After 18 months of war, a staggering toll on civilians and aid workers, and now a seven-week total siege, the humanitarian aid system in Gaza is facing total collapse with the CEOs of 12 major aid organisations making an urgent plea: let us do our jobs. 

A new humanitarian access survey of 43 international and Palestinian aid organisations working in Gaza found nearly all of them – 95% – have had to suspend or dramatically cut services since the ceasefire ended one month ago on 18 March, with widespread and indiscriminate bombing making it extremely dangerous to move around.

The people of Gaza – particularly women and children – are paying the price. Families are living amongst the rubble of their destroyed homes.  Famine is not just a risk, but likely rapidly unfolding in almost all parts of Gaza. The UN has warned the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is the worst it has been in 18 months.

Stripped of the means to keep people alive, hospitals have become morgues. More than 51,000 Palestinians have been reported killed. One of the last partially functioning hospitals, Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in northern Gaza, was bombed last Sunday.  

“This is one of the worst humanitarian failures of our generation. Every single person in Gaza is relying on humanitarian aid to survive. That lifeline has been completely cut off since a blockade on all aid supplies was imposed by Israeli authorities on 2 March.  

“We have supplies ready. We have trained medical staff. We have the expertise. What we don’t have is the access – or the guarantee by Israeli authorities that our teams can safely do their jobs.  

“Survival itself is now slipping out of reach and the humanitarian system is at breaking point,” the CEOs of the 12 aid organisations said in their joint statement.  

Twenty-four of the surveyed organisations reported increased movement restrictions in Gaza, impeding their ability to deliver aid.  Nineteen aid organisations reported having cargo stuck outside Gaza, totaling at least 9,000 pallets of aid supplies.  

Gaza now holds the disastrous record of being the deadliest place on earth for humanitarian workers. We cannot operate under fire or stay silent while our staff are killed. 

More than 400 aid workers and over 1,300 health workers have been reported killed in Gaza since October 2023, despite the requirement under international humanitarian law for humanitarian workers to be protected.  

The recent killing of 15 Palestinian paramedics and rescue workers, whose bodies were found buried in a mass grave triggered global outrage, but many violations and attacks go unreported. 

Despite hopes that the eight-week pause in hostilities would become a turning point, the violence against civilians and aid workers has only worsened. Since Israeli forces resumed bombardments, at least 14 organisations reported Israeli fire directly or indirectly hitting their staff or aid facilities.  

Every day, aid workers – the majority of whom are Palestinian – are targeted, detained, obstructed or killed. Just as every day, rules meant to protect civilians in war are ignored with impunity.  When our staff and partners, our convoys, our offices, our warehouses are shelled, the message is loud and clear: even lifesaving aid is no longer protected. 

This is unacceptable. 

Meanwhile, Israeli authorities have proposed a new authorisation mechanism for the delivery of aid in Gaza that the UN Secretary-General has described as “limiting aid down to the last calorie and grain of flour.” This mechanism would set a dangerous new global precedent and eliminate any remaining space to deliver aid independent of military and political motivations. New NGO visa and registration rules, based on vague criteria, will censor humanitarian reporting and prevent us from fulfilling our mandate. 

We call on all parties to guarantee the safety of our staff and to allow the safe, unfettered access of aid into and across Gaza through all entry points, and for world leaders to oppose further restrictions. 

We call for the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure including hospitals, schools and shelters and the immediate restoration of basic services – water, electricity, and sanitation as required under international law. 

We call for the release of the hostages. 

We call for the release of all Palestinians arbitrarily detained. 

We call, yet again, resoundingly, for an immediate and permanent ceasefire. 

Humanitarian aid must never be used as a political tool. Saving lives should not be controversial. Laws of war developed over centuries to govern conduct and protect civilians should not now be discarded.

Let us do our jobs.  

Please help us spread the word.

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Undersigned

• JOEL WEILER, CEO, Doctors of the World / Médecins du Monde France
• MORGANE ROUSSEAU, CEO, Doctors of the World / Médecins du Monde Switzerland
• NICOLAS DOTTA, CEO, Doctors of the World / Médecins du Monde Spain
• INGER ASHING, CEO, Save the Children International 
• AMITABH BEHAR, Executive Director, Oxfam International 
• SEAN CARROLL, President and CEO, Anera
• STEVE CUTTS, interim Chief Executive Officer, Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP)  
• JAN EGELAND, Secretary General, Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) 
• REENA GHELANI, CEO, Plan International
• MANUEL PATROUILLARD, Managing Director, Humanity & Inclusion – Handicap International  
• REINTJE VAN HAERINGEN, Chair – Executive Committee, CARE International 
• ROB WILLIAMS, CEO, War Child Alliance

Editor’s Note

• A new survey of 43 international and Palestinian NGOs working in the Gaza Strip found that 95% of them had either suspended or reduced their services in Gaza since the resumption of bombardment by Israeli forces. 
• The survey also found that at least 17 NGOs reported delays or denials even during the ceasefire (before the renewed siege on 2 March). 
• Seven surveyed NGOs reported Israeli fire directly or indirectly hitting their staff or aid facilities. 
• According to the survey, at least 19 NGOs report having cargo waiting outside of Gaza for entry, including at least 8,881 pallets of aid stuck in Jordan, Egypt, the West Bank and Israel including: supplies for psychosocial support, bedding, hygiene items, hot meal ingredients, school supplies, tents, fire extinguishers, and medicines.
• At least 412 aid workers have been reported killed in Gaza since October 2023, as of 9 April. According to the Aid Worker Security Database, at least 61 aid workers have been killed in Gaza since 1 January 2025.

Myanmar: Doctors of the World Mobilises in Response to the Earthquake

London, March 28th, 2025. A 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar at 1:20 PM local time, causing severe damage to infrastructure and raising fears of a significant human toll. Doctors of the World teams on the ground are mobilising to assist the affected population. 

This disaster comes as the country is already facing a multidimensional crisis—political, economic, social, health, and humanitarian.  

“The immediate priority is to meet essential needs: medical care, water, food, and shelter. Our teams in Myanmar report that hospitals are overwhelmed. Starting tomorrow, we will send reinforcements to Mandalay—near the earthquake’s epicenter—to assess needs and provide emergency assistance as quickly as possible. We are also deeply concerned about access difficulties, not only due to the earthquake’s impact but also because of the ongoing armed conflict in the country,” warns Helena Ranchal, Director of International Operations 

Doctors of the World (Médecins du Monde) has been present in Myanmar since 1993. All 250 staff members in the country are safe and are preparing to deliver an appropriate response as soon as possible to support the affected population. 

As part of its work in Myanmar, Doctors of the World strives to promote equitable access to healthcare and rights for all. Our harm reduction programs provide prevention, treatment, and support services for vulnerable groups, including sex workers and men who have sex with men in Yangon, as well as people who inject drugs in Kachin. 

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Photo © Sai Aung MAIN – AFP

Press contact: media@doctorsoftheworld.org.uk