Doctors without Borders suspends work in Gaza City following Israeli offensive
Medics volunteering for the charity in Gaza have come under 'relentless' bombardment in recent days
Medics working for international charity Doctors without Borders have been withdrawn from Gaza City following what's been described as 'relentless' bombardment by Israel.
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The medical charity, known officially in French as Médecins Sans Frontière (MSF), has suspended its work in Gaza City following intensified assaults by Israel.
“The escalating attacks from Israeli forces have created an unacceptable level of risk for our staff, forcing us to suspend lifesaving medical activities,” MSF said in a statement on Friday.
It comes despite Israeli evacuation orders for Gaza City, with hundreds of thousands of people choosing to remain despite the risks, an MSF spokesperson said.
The charity highlighted that many of those in the city are unable to leave due to injury, illness or a lack of resources.
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“We have been left with no choice but to stop our activities as our clinics are encircled by Israeli forces,” says Jacob Granger, MSF emergency coordinator in Gaza.
“This is the last thing we wanted, as the needs in Gaza City are enormous, with the most at-risk people – infants in neonatal care, people with severe injuries and life-threatening illnesses – unable to move and in grave danger.”
It comes as Donald Trump insisted "we may have a deal" on Gaza shortly after Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to UN delegates.
The president told reporters that he is close to a deal to end the war in Gaza and bring hostages home as he prepared to leave the White House to attend the Ryder Cup golf tournament in New York.
"I think we have, maybe, a deal on Gaza," he said.
"We're very close to a deal on Gaza and it's looking like we have a deal."
He believes the deal will "get the hostages back" and "it's going to be a deal that will end the war".