In December 1985, famine had ravaged Ethiopia for over a year, prompting global outrage and mobilization. But Doctors Without Borders (MSF), which had deployed dozens of specialists on the ground since March 1984, condemned the misuse of international aid by the Marxist-Leninist regime in Addis Ababa. That government exploited the humanitarian catastrophe to forcibly relocate populations to the south of the country in order to exert greater control, even if it meant resettling them in appalling conditions.
MSF's denunciation of that scandal resulted in its expulsion from Ethiopia. The French foreign ministry "regretted" the abrupt end to the "rescue and assistance mission," even as it "inspired admiration" and had "already saved thousands of human lives." Outrage over the Ethiopian diktat was widespread, further isolating the dictatorship.
Four decades later, it is in the Gaza Strip that MSF faces a boycott of its activities by the Israeli government. It was one of many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) subjected to the severe restrictions imposed by the occupying power. However, MSF was singled out for a specific smear campaign, led by Amichai Chikli, a member of the Netanyahu cabinet openly supportive of alliances with the far-right in Europe and North America.
This relentless targeting of an NGO that was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999 reflects the importance of its humanitarian commitment in the Palestinian enclave. MSF, which has been in Gaza since 2000, has gained invaluable experience in the besieged territory, now providing one in five hospital beds and handling one in three births. The latter service is crucial at a time when Israel is being accused of destroying the reproductive health system, with a 41% drop in birth rates since 2022.
The war of annihilation waged by Israel since October 2023 against the Gaza Strip, rather than solely against Hamas, has made MSF's work even more essential for a population enduring tremendous suffering. In 2025 alone, MSF provided over 800,000 outpatient consultations, treated more than 100,000 trauma cases, and performed nearly 23,000 surgeries – substantial figures for a population of 2.1 million.
Israel is just straight up evil at this point. They've lost their humanity.
Indeed