Statement on killing of MSF colleague & Israeli forces' allegations

The Israeli forces have accused our Palestinian colleague Fadi Al-Wadiya, whom they killed yesterday while on his way to work at the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) clinic in Gaza City, of being a “significant operative” of the Islamic Jihad armed group. We have no indication that this is true and have received no direct communication from the Israeli authorities about it before they published their accusation through a tweet after his assassination. Fadi was executed by an Israeli strike and no proof of any wrongdoing on his part has been shared with MSF. Only an independent investigation will be able to establish the facts.

Fadi was a medic, a physiotherapist and a father of three children. He had worked with MSF between 2018 and 2022 and had recently rejoined our teams to care for wounded patients injured by the ongoing relentless Israeli attacks in Gaza. On the morning of 25 June, Fadi was cycling on his bicycle, posing no threat to anyone, while on his way to work, and was assassinated just outside our clinic in Gaza City. Five other people were killed in this Israeli attack, including three children. Fadi is the sixth MSF staff member who has been killed in Gaza since 7 October and one of 500 health workers killed by the Israeli forces during the same time according to the United Nations. There is no justification for this, it is unacceptable. Healthcare workers must be protected and should not be targeted.

MSF is an independent and impartial organisation providing medical assistance to people in need in Gaza and other places around the world. All MSF members undertake a commitment to respect the MSF charter, and thus to provide their assistance independently, neutrally and impartially – without discrimination based on race, religion, philosophy or politics – within the framework of their work.