Israel bans Doctors Without Borders from Gaza

Israel on Sunday banned the activities of the medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in the Gaza Strip and ordered the organization to leave the enclave by Feb. 28.

Israel's Ministry of Diaspora Affairs, which oversees dealings with humanitarian organizations operating in Gaza and the West Bank, said the decision was taken after the charity refused to submit its staff lists to Tel Aviv.

A ministry statement cited by Maariv newspaper said the MSF refused "to submit lists of local employees, a requirement applicable to all humanitarian organizations operating in the region."

The ministry claimed that the measure is aimed at "enabling legitimate relief activities while preventing the exploitation of humanitarian cover for hostile or terrorist purposes."

"These employee lists are not shared with external parties and are used solely for internal purposes," the ministry alleged.

On Friday, the MSF said it will not share the list of its Palestinian and international staff with Israel over Tel Aviv's refusal to "secure assurances to ensure the safety of our staff or the independent management of our operations."

MSF is one of the largest humanitarian organizations operating in Gaza, and halting its activities is expected to cause severe damage to the already scarce medical services available in the enclave.

Israel's two-year war on Gaza has killed nearly 71,800 Palestinians and wounded more than 171,400. The assault has destroyed roughly 90% of the civilian infrastructure in Gaza, with UN estimates placing reconstruction costs at about $70 billion.