Dr. Tariq Lubani, an emergency physician and medical director of Glia International, has rejected claims by Doctors Without Borders (MSF) alleging that hospitals in Gaza are being used in violation of international humanitarian law, saying the accusations do not reflect realities on the ground.
Speaking from Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza, Lubani said he does not accept assessments suggesting that Palestinian groups are using medical facilities for non-civilian purposes.
"I have been working in this hospital every day for the past month ... I have been in Palestine many times before through war and in peace. I have not seen anything like what MSF has unsubstantiatedly accused the Palestinians of, and neither has anyone in our team. The Palestinians take very seriously their responsibilities and the civilian nature of these hospitals," he told Anadolu.
Lubani said he has supported Gaza's health system for more than 15 years through field visits and medical engineering initiatives, adding that he has not witnessed any practices that would substantiate such allegations. He stressed that Palestinian hospitals continue to uphold their civilian and humanitarian character.
He recalled that Nasser Hospital had previously come under attack, with medical staff and patients affected by hostilities, warning that statements made under such conditions could further jeopardize safety on the ground.
"This statement is going to cost Palestinian lives. The Israelis have already attacked this hospital, bulldozed patients under the ground of this hospital, murdered doctors, nurses, and allied health care workers in this hospital," he said, adding that to this day "dozens of people from this hospital are still in jail."
"Medical neutrality is not something that applies when one side is able to murder and massacre the other at will," Lubani added. "MSF has an obligation to stand up for Palestinians and to ensure that they are safe."
Lubani urged international organizations to base their statements on verified information, reaffirming solidarity with healthcare workers in Gaza and underscoring the vital importance of safeguarding medical neutrality.
On Saturday, MSF suspended all noncritical medical operations at Nasser Hospital, citing security breaches that posed "serious" threats to its staff and patients. The Geneva-based charity said there had been an increase in reports of armed men being seen in parts of the hospital compound since a US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was reached in October last year.
