Christos Christou
@DrChristou
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Int'l President of @MSF. Surgeon. Refuse to accept inhumanity as the default. My reflections on our humanitarian work in migration, epidemics & conflict zones.
Geneva, Switzerland
Joined November 2012
When I visited Sudan recently I was shocked by testimonies recounting the extreme level of violence communities had faced. It’s devastating to hear that the violence continues with damaged hospitals closing one by one and thousands fleeing insecurity in El Fasher, north Darfur.
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Right now, in Gaza, the situation is horrific and catastrophic. Those hospitals and clinics that have not been evacuated are overwhelmed and are barely functioning. No electricity, no medical supplies. Surgeons in Al-Shifa hospital are now operating without painkillers.
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Two weeks ago, I visited the occupied territories of Palestine, to meet our teams. I visited Jenin, Nablus and Ramallah; unfortunately, it was impossible for me to enter Gaza but I spoke to my colleagues there. I want to share some of my observations from that trip 👇.
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I’m in #Jenin, the West Bank, #Palestine, where I was just visiting the @MSF team at the Khalil Suleiman hospital. While we were there, the Israeli army conducted an incursion on Jenin refugee camp.
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Horrified, devastated, speechless. There are no words to express the shock and sorrow we all feel in MSF this moment!.
We're horrified by the killing of two MSF doctors, Dr. Mahmoud Abu Nujaila and Dr. Ahmad Al Sahar, and a third doctor working with Al Awda, Dr. Ziad Al-Tatari, following a strike on Al Awda Hospital, #Gaza. Full statement here:
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The bombing needs to stop NOW. As the president of a medical humanitarian organisation, I urge – implement an immediate ceasefire to allow humanitarian aid into #Gaza.
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This is unimaginable. This is inhumane. As doctors, humanitarians, human beings, we cannot tolerate this. While we are frightened of what is coming, our only hope is for humanity to prevail.
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Terrible news from Ethiopia. Our thoughts are with the families, friends and colleagues of Yohannes, Tedros and Maria, who were killed today
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Patients risk their lives either by moving, or by staying behind, in both cases perhaps to die without treatment. People are trapped, unable to escape, with absolutely nowhere safe to go. They’re deprived of essential needs – water, food, protected shelter, medicines.
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The world is no longer shocked by the number of children killed. Some are even trying to justify it. But where have people’s sense of humanity gone? We see humanity. We are doctors and nurses and we are in the emergency room. We treat everyone in front of us.
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Death and suffering on both sides of this conflict must be deplored. But nothing can be gained from the continued bombing of civilians. There must be an immediate and sustained ceasefire in Gaza. Standing by patients is our basic act of solidarity. This is how we defend humanity.
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I was in Jenin when an incursion started. I was shocked to see the hospital’s entrance blocked by Israeli soldiers, preventing anyone – including the injured - from entering. Nothing is worse for a doctor than to know people need medical care and being prevented from providing it.
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In the West Bank I saw how badly things have deteriorated since 7 October: Palestinians are too fearful of attacks from Israeli settlers to undertake the vital olive harvest. The number of people killed there this year is unprecedented. But these are not numbers, these are people.
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Attacks on hospitals and indiscriminate warfare have become the norm in a military strategy that defies both basic humanity and the rules of war. It is unacceptable.
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In Nablus, my colleagues noted a significant change: “Fewer wounded patients arrive these days with gunshot wounds to the limbs. Soldiers now shoot at the torso or head. The trauma is more complex and most of the time is fatal,” one of our doctors told me.
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I met with our team in Jenin, who made it clear: MSF should not abandon our people or fail our patients, in Gaza and in the West Bank. We are medics who treat people and bear witness to what we see; we must never lose this.
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The work our teams in Palestine are doing is incredible. They’re on the frontlines, doing vital work to support their families without abandoning their patients. I am extremely proud of them and thankful to everyone across MSF who stands behind them and works to support them.
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Nine weeks after the Hamas attack, Israel’s military response has trapped millions of Gazans in a total war zone. Thousands have been killed. The strict siege is depriving people from food, water and medicine.
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Today across @MSF, we begin a campaign for an immediate ceasefire & an end to the indiscriminate attacks in #Gaza. It simply #MustStopNow. My letter to the @UN Security Council demanding a stop to the deadly attacks on Palestinian civilians👇
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Yesterday two of my colleagues were killed in an appalling attack by armed men in Burkina Faso. This is a painful moment for MSF and the humanitarian community.
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Yesterday @MSF published a comprehensive report looking at silent killings Gaza - meaning individuals who have succumbed to health conditions that are entirely preventable.🧵.
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“We did what we could. Remember us.”. When the guns fall silent and the true scale of devastation is revealed, will the @UN Security Council and its members be able to say the same?. It #MustStopNow! Join us in calling for an end to the attacks in #Gaza:
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The US veto stands in sharp contrast to the values it professes to uphold.
We are devastated by the UN Security Council’s failure to adopt a resolution demanding a ceasefire in Gaza—blocked by a solitary veto from the United States. “By vetoing this resolution, the US stands alone in casting its vote against humanity.”.
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Today marks 50 years since @MSF’s founding. It all started with a small group of doctors and journalists, committed to alleviating the suffering of people who are most excluded, and most in need. Here we are – half a century later – still committed to doing exactly that.
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Two Palestinians died of wounds while ambulances could not reach them. This must stop now. Patients should have access to healthcare at all times.
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The situation on the Greek Islands is only getting worse. During my visit to Samos and Lesbos, I witnessed the human suffering that European policies are producing on vulnerable people. The extent of this emergency is unacceptable. My message to European leaders today:.
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For two hours, we were not able to leave to provide care and people could not reach us, as Israeli military vehicles blocked the entrance of the hospital and the road, preventing ambulances from leaving.
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Basic humanity needs to be restored in Gaza. The indiscriminate bombing must stop. The egregious level of collective punishment currently being meted out on the people of Gaza must end.
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I just returned from Darfur where I heard horrific stories of the violence communities have endured, even within medical facilities.⬇️
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I am on board of #GeoBarents, our search and rescue vessel in #CentralMediterranean, where thousands of people die every year. In its 50th rotation, I join the MSF team who, over the last years, have first-hand witnessed the human costs of the policies on migration in Europe ⤵️
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For the past few weeks, I joined @MSF_SouthSudan to work in our hospital in IDP camp. I met amazing colleagues, had happy & challenging moments, as well as experiences & emotions I’d like to share with you. Not a short thread, but stick with me:
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The situation today in Gaza is catastrophic. Hospitals and clinics that are running are overwhelmed and are barely functioning. Surgeons in Al-Shifa hospital are now operating without painkillers. As a surgeon myself, this is unimaginable.
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It is inexcusable and intolerable that Israeli air strikes continue to kill scores of civilians in Gaza and destroy civilian infrastructure, such as our own clinic.
Last night, an MSF clinic in #Gaza where we provide trauma and burn treatment was damaged by Israeli aerial bombardment, leaving a sterilization room unusable and a waiting area damaged. No one was injured in our clinic, but people were killed by the bombing.
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I'm in Port Sudan for a few days on my first official visit since the beginning of the war in April 2023. I'm here to discuss with the Government of Sudan the urgency for protecting civilians, improving access to affected populations, and scaling up the humanitarian response.
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📢BREAKING: Geo Barents free to save lives again!. I am in Salerno, Italy, where an Italian court has finally ended the detention of our rescue ship. The Mediterranean is a huge emergency room and there is no justification for obstructing humanitarian sea rescues.
🟢UPDATE. The detention of the Geo Barents has been suspended by the court of #Salerno! . The ship is free to rescue lives!
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Anything short of a sustained ceasefire will do little to prevent mass atrocities. When I visited Palestine a few months ago, staff were already exhausted. Now I fear they’re at breaking point. We call on UN members to take 5 urgent actions on Gaza. ⬇️.
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Today from Port Sudan I spoke to @BBCWorld to describe the situation facing thousands of people struggling to access lifesaving supplies and healthcare, and why we badly need other international agencies to step in.
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The news continuing to come from Sudan is harrowing. Many people are caught in the crossfire… most wounded received by @MSF are civilians… medical teams are trapped by the fighting… power outages are threatening lives….
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What’s wrong with this map?. Wealthy countries are blocking a proposal that would allow more countries to manufacture & access #COVID19 medical tools. Negotiations for #NoCovidMonopolies are in less than 48 hours! Help us change the story 👇
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Food. Water. Dignity. The three things lacking for Sudanese refugees in Eastern Chad. I spoke to @BBCWorld about what I have seen on the ground, and why it’s our moral responsibility for the international community to step up the crisis response.
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Helpless people are being subjected to horrific bombing. Families have nowhere to run or to hide, as hell is unleashed on them. We need a ceasefire now! . Water, food, fuel, medical supplies and humanitarian aid in Gaza need to be urgently restored.
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We received devastating news yesterday. My thoughts are with our colleagues, patients and their families. Thank you to all those who have expressed their solidarity with @MSF in these very difficult moments.
We can confirm the attack is over, but details remain unclear. All our efforts at this time are focused on the safety of our patients and staff. @MSF.
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One week ago, on 12 May 2020, many mothers were in killed a barbaric attack on the maternity ward of the Dasht-e-Barchi hospital in Kabul, in which young children and an MSF midwife were also among the victims. Today we remember and honour their memory.
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It's time to #TalkAboutSudan with your network and elected officials.📢. We all must act❗️. Follow our work and share our latest updates via @MSF_Sudan
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Tragic, painful and shocking scenes from Beirut. We stand in solidarity: sending much courage those wounded and traumatized, sending our condolences to families that lost loved ones.
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I am currently in #Greece visiting @MSF projects. The #EUTurkeydeal was announced as a temporary and extraordinary measure, necessary to end human suffering. 4 years later, what I see in #Samos is a protracted state of human tragedy
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To everyone implementing, enabling, and supporting @MSF programmes around the world, providing care and bringing hope: thank you.
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Beware – humanitarian corridors sound nice – but what happens after the deadline?.Medics who choose to stay to provide medical services, and other civilians, DO NOT become a valid target.
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Thank you to everyone who sent me questions about the situation facing Sudanese refugees in Eastern Chad. I’ve been visiting Sudanese people within our medical facilities to understand how the international community can scale up to meet their urgent needs.
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Dear @CharlesMichel, @eucopresident, @EUCouncil & EU Member States, during the next #EUCouncil you have a unique opportunity to choose whether you, as leaders of the European Union, will call for an immediate and sustained #ceasefire in #Gaza. .
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Horrified!.Israeli authorities must allow unimpeded and streamlined humanitarian and essential aid, such as food, to be delivered into and throughout the Gaza Strip, and attacks on civilians must stop immediately.
We are horrified by the latest news from Gaza City, where over 100 ppl were killed & about 750 wounded today. MSF staff were not present on the site, & due to bad telecommunications, we are currently unable to reach our medical staff still working in some hospitals in the north.
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1/4 Climate change is an existential threat to all of us. But those least responsible for global heating are being hit the hardest. People who:.- are forced to flee. - are caught up in violence or conflict. - lack access to health care. #COP28UAE
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On #WorldWaterDay I looked at the water availability for Sudanese refugees living in camps in Eastern Chad near the border town of Adré.
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Five years on from a tragic day. This is as painful today as it was back then. In memory of the MSF colleagues and our patients who were killed in the Kunduz Trauma Centre attack on 3 Oct 2015.
Deeply shocked at bombing of MSF hospital in #Kunduz. Staff and patients killed. MSF urges fighting parties to respect health facilities.
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In #Gaza, civilians are being repeatedly and forcibly ordered to move further and further south, but Israel is bombing the entire Strip. Nowhere is safe. Join us in asking governments around the world to pressure Israel to end the siege➡️ #MustStopNow
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Once again, a devastating news for the MSF family, our patients and the communities we serve. My deepest sympathy and condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of our staff member and all those affected.
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We’re relieved to know that the 10th deadliest #Ebola outbreak in history is over. For nearly two years, our teams at @MSF and other partner orgs have been hard at work in #DRCongo to treat patients & support local health facilities.
#RDCongo - Soulagés que cette 10e épidémie d'#Ebola soit finie! Des familles ont été brisées mais des vies ont pu être sauvées.🙂. Vigilance: le virus Ebola est toujours en Equateur, alors que la RDC lutte toujours contre la #COVID19 , la rougeole et le choléra. On est ensemble !
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Last week I addressed the @PressClubAust, and I tried to describe the unimaginable scenes our teams are seeing in Gaza.🧵.
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Today I traveled to Eastern Chad, arriving in Adré, a town bordering Sudan where we’ve scaled up our humanitarian response. Leave a comment below if you have a question about the situation facing refugees here, and I’ll try to answer them as I continue my week in Adré.
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The gap between the EU’s beautiful rhetoric about stopping the COVID-19 pandemic & its actions is embarrassingly wide.
A pandemic is a marathon, not a sprint. We now need to: .🔹 speed up global vaccination.🔹 continue our efforts here in Europe.🔹 strengthen our pandemic preparedness. #SOTEU
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Once again, a “deliberate and intentional attack on a clearly identified humanitarian team.”. Once again, “our activities have to be suspended.”. Once again, the people most in need will not be able to access healthcare!.
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We will not let this become the new normal. We will never stop standing in solidarity and assisting those most in need. We will never stop defending humanity.
❕Normalisation of violence against people seeking protection has taken root in #EU policies, but these decisions have consequences. These testimonies are from MSF patients. They are not numbers, but real people. 🎥⤵️
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It’s already been one year since I took over as International President of @MSF. Looking back, as an organisation, we’ve learned a lot, achieved a lot and encountered a lot of challenges on the way. Here’s a small reflection of this time that has passed and what’s to come:.
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#Moria camp in Greece has been burned to the ground. This was not unexpected. This is not something we can say we didn’t see coming. And this is not something authorities can say wasn’t preventable.
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Everyone must call for the massacres to stop!.
Read our full statement on why we're calling for a ceasefire in #Gaza.
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Operating without painkillers is already unimaginable, but amputating without anesthesia is truly hell on earth. I stand with my colleagues working in such dire conditions. I stand with all those who are living this nightmare everyday.
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This #WorldHealthDay, I want to thank all our @MSF teams who are working to provide healthcare around the world, for your hard work and contribution now and in the months to come.
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The failed #COVID19 response in Brazil has caused a humanitarian catastrophe. Each week there’s a grim new record of deaths and infections - the hospitals are overflowing and yet there is still NO coordinated centralised response.
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The fact that there are four MSF colleagues currently detained in SW Cameroon is not only shocking, but unacceptable. Treating patients is what we do as humanitarians, ambulance staff should be permitted to save lives.
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It must stop now!.
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At @MSF, we stand with patients, wherever and whoever they are. We’ve always been committed to our principles which include neutrality and impartiality. We are committed to our shared humanity. (+).
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SUDAN UPDATE: we're seeing a catastrophic death rate in North Darfur and most deaths are caused by easily treatable illnesses. ⬇️
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#RulesOfWar must be observed by all forces in #Ukraine:.-> take all precautions to avoid targeting civilians.-> consider civilians as civilians at all times & in all places.-> safe passage for civilians not limited to corridors.-> opportunities to escape fighting not time-bound.
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This month, terrible acts of violence in #Afghanistan and #SouthSudan have taken many lives, including two @MSF colleagues, while bringing unimaginable pain and trauma to survivors & communities. Our thoughts are with them and their loved ones.
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We don’t have all the info about this incident yet and we’ve suspended our activities in the region. One thing is clear- we cannot accept this, or any, attack on humanitarians. Providing humanitarian assistance to communities in need should never cost someone their life.
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This morning we arrived to #Genova. All the survivors have now disembarked and are about to start the next part of their journey. ⤵️
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I’ve just arrived in Maiduguri, Nigeria, ready to visit projects and meet the @MSF teams responding to malnutrition and flooding 👇
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So many stories, so little attention and a war that is going on. .
In Central Darfur, Sudan, as the war continues to wreak havoc, people are stuck in a humanitarian void with no means to survive. "We were chased and forced to leave. some of our men were killed and others were detained.". Assia's story👇.
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🧵It’s been over a year since the war in Sudan descended into one of the world’s largest displacement crisis. Here are 3 shocking stats that I learnt recently when I travelled to Chad/Sudan and spoke to people forced from home. ⬇️.
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Almost one in every 3 people we have rescued on board #GeoBarents since 2021 are children. A few days ago, I met Samir*, an 11-year-old boy from #Syria. As I talked to him I realised his childhood has been stolen. ⤵️
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“Patients are dying due to violence-related injuries and preventable illnesses; children are perishing due to malnutrition.”. Ahead of the date that will mark one year of conflict in #Sudan, I urge international organisations to scale up their response.
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For years the EU has systematically failed to address migration. Instead it has tried to shift responsibility to countries of origin/transit in exchange for economic support. I joined @MSF_Sea search & rescue team in the Central Med and saw the human cost of these policies.⬇️1/6.
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We’re seeing catastrophic levels of malnutrition in Sudan. Over 8.4 million people have fled their home since April 2023. The @UN has estimated that 13,900 people have been killed since the war began. Although this is likely an underestimate. #TalkAboutSudanMSF.@MSF_EastAfrica.
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Palestinians in the West Bank have been facing increasing violence since 7 October. We urge Israeli authorities to put an end the violence and forced displacement of Palestinians➡️
“Most of the patients we receive have been shot in the abdomen and the legs. Some have had their liver and spleen shattered while others have severe vascular injuries,” says Dr Pedro Serrano, MSF intensive care unit doctor.
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We no longer speak of a humanitarian scale-up; we speak of how to survive even without the bare minimum. MSF briefing on Gaza to UN Security Council via @msf.
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We now have 68 people safe on board of #GeoBarents. Among them are one pregnant woman and several children. They come from Syria, Palestine, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Egypt. 👇
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Looking at the rough sea that’s accompanying us, I can’t help but wonder how many souls are currently in #Libya struggling to flee. For those that take to the sea, many will be intercepted and forced back by the Libyan Coast Guard. Like what happened to Mussa.⤵️
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Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting staff and patients at Al Salam hospital in Khamer, Yemen. @MSF has been supporting this hospital for 10 years, a great accomplishment for all the teams involved.
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We are horrified by the escalation in the Gaza strip and the mass killing of civilians perpetrated by both sides. Millions of men, women & children are facing a collective punishment in the form of total siege, indiscriminate bombing, and the pending threat of a ground battle.
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Last year, 65,000+ @MSF staff undertook life-saving work that impacted millions of people in 72 countries around the world. Today, we launch our International Activity Report for 2019 as an exercise of transparency, accountability and responsibility to our patients.
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