War and conflict

War and conflict

If warring parties see aid organisations as being on one side of a conflict, we are less likely to gain access to those in need and more likely to be attacked. 

One of the ways in which we are able to demonstrate our independence to warring parties is to ensure that all our funding for work in conflicts comes from private individuals – we do not accept government grants. 
 
Conflicts, be they international wars or those within countries, can have many consequences. 
 
Fear of violence or persecution uproots entire communities and disrupts access to medical care for those that flee as well as those who stay behind.  
 
Conflicts normally lead to a rise in trauma injuries, but also lead to problems for people needing normal medical care, such as complications with pregnancy or chronic diseases such as diabetes.  
 
Psychological distress and mental illnesses also generally rise, as can cases of sexual violence.  
 
We try to fill these gaps with highly experienced doctors, nurses, and logisticians, who provide specialised medical care and logistical support. 

 
Abed portrait January 2025
Gaza - Israel War

MSF is devastated by the death of colleague Abed El Hameed, who succumbed to injuries sustained in last week’s attack

Article 6 Oct 2025
 
Omar Hayek, working at the Gaza Clinic
Gaza - Israel War

MSF denounces killing of fourteenth staff member in Israeli attack in Gaza

Article 2 Oct 2025
 
People from the frontline areas arrive at the transit centre for IDPs in Dnipropetrovsk region (eastern Ukraine). They usually spend a few days here before moving further west. The Médecins Sans Frontières mobile clinic comes here twice a week. Our doctors and nurses examine patients. They often have chronic illnesses, and some of them arrive with injuries from the hostilities. Our health promoters and psychologists also work with patients to identify their needs and provide psychological support. 
War in Ukraine

Bombed-out ghost towns and overcrowded shelters leave displaced people struggling in Ukraine

Article 2 Oct 2025
 
MSF forced to suspend activities amid intensified Israeli offensive in Gaza City
Gaza - Israel War

MSF forced to suspend activities amid intensified Israeli offensive in Gaza City

Article 27 Sep 2025
 
 Limited Access to Healthcare in Conflict-hit Cabo Delgado
War and conflict

Mozambique: MSF suspends activities in Mocímboa da Praia as violence surges

Article 26 Sep 2025
 
The report, Besieged, Attacked, Starved, exposes systematic patterns of violence in the area over the past year, including mass killings, sexual violence, attacks against health facilities, and starvation. 
Conflict in Sudan

After watching her mother killed, she was raped: Darfur’s sexual violence must end

Article 25 Sep 2025