Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is mourning the loss of 31-year-old Nasser Hamdi Abdelatif Al Shalfouh, our colleague in Gaza. He is survived by his wife and two children.
Nasser was killed by shrapnel injuries he suffered to his legs and chest on October 8 in Jabalia, northern Gaza, and died from his injuries on October 10 at Kamal Adwan Hospital. Since October 7, Jabalia has been under relentless attacks by Israeli forces, and people have remained trapped since then without being able to flee.
Nasser joined MSF as a driver in March 2023 and had not been working since the war started, as MSF activities in northern Gaza have been severely affected. MSF has been trying to expand activities in the north of Gaza, but it has been impossible so far.
After being injured, Nasser first received emergency care at Al-Awda Hospital in Jabalia and was later transferred to Kamal Adwan Hospital. He was unable to receive the necessary level of care due to the hospital's lack of capacity and an overwhelming number of patients in the facility.
Remembering our colleagues killed in Gaza
Read moreAll over Gaza, Palestinians continue to be killed and injured by relentless fighting and bombardment. Nasser is the seventh MSF colleague killed in Gaza since the beginning of the war. This bloodshed needs to end.
For over a year, Israeli forces have systematically dismantled the health system in Gaza, impeding access to lifesaving care at a time when medical needs are soaring across the Strip. At the same time, medical evacuations have become extremely challenging, particularly in the north, which has largely been cut off from the rest of Gaza, further hindering access to care.
We are horrified by the killing of our colleague, which we strongly condemn. Yet again, we call for the respect and protection of civilians. In this tragic moment, our thoughts are with his family and all colleagues mourning his death.