MSF: Shell That Hit Shelter in Gaza 'Appears to Be Similar' to Those Used by IDF

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The shell that had hit a shelter of Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), which translates as Doctors Without Borders, is believed to have been fired by a tank used by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the organization said on Tuesday.

MSF stated on Monday that its shelter in the southern Gaza Strip, housing over 100 staff and their families, had come under fire. Four people had been injured in the incident, including a 5-year-old daughter of an MSF staff, the organization then said and later confirmed the death of the girl.

"Prior to the incident, MSF notified Israeli forces that the shelter near Gaza European Hospital was housing MSF staff and their families. Furthermore, no evacuation orders were issued before the strike. While MSF is not able to confirm the origin of the shell, it appears to be similar to those used by Israeli tanks. MSF has contacted Israeli authorities and is seeking further explanation," MSF stressed in a statement on the website.

The organization also condemned the attack on its shelter "in the strongest possible terms."

"We are outraged and deeply saddened by the death of yet another family member of our MSF staff. This strike on civilians is unacceptable and, once again, goes to show that it doesn’t matter where you are in Gaza, nowhere is safe... The shell did not detonate on impact, otherwise many more of our staff and their families would have most likely been killed," the statement quoted MSF project coordinator in Gaza Thomas Lauvin as saying.

On October 7, 2023, Palestinian movement Hamas launched a large-scale rocket attack against Israel from the Gaza Strip while its fighters breached the border, opening fire on the military and civilians. As a result, over 1,200 people in Israel were killed and some 240 others abducted. Israel launched retaliatory strikes, ordered a complete blockade of Gaza and launched a ground incursion into the Palestinian enclave with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages. Over 23,000 people have been killed so far in Gaza as a result of Israeli strikes, local authorities said.

On November 24, Qatar mediated a deal between Israel and Hamas on a temporary truce and the exchange of some of the prisoners and hostages, as well as the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire was extended several times and expired on December 1.