MSF: Attack by settlers and Israeli forces in Masafer Yatta, West Bank
On 28 and 29 March, settlers and Israeli forces stormed and attacked the Jinba community in Masafer Yatta, West Bank, Palestine. Five Palestinians were hospitalized - two in intensive care, including a child.
The MSF clinic was destroyed during the attack by Israeli forces and settlers and according to residents, civilian infrastructure including homes, a mosque and a school were also destroyed. Residents also said that Israeli forces threw tear gas and detained several people.
“When we entered the MSF clinic, we were shocked by the damage,” explains Rasha Hashlamoun, MSF social work supervisor. “Everything was destroyed. People in the community of Jinba described it as the most terrifying hours of their lives.”
The community of Jinba, where MSF provides primary health care, faces risk of forcible transfer. MSF is horrified by this attack on civilians and destruction of civilian infrastructure. We call on Israeli forces to protect health facilities and stop attacks on civilians.
Voice note by Rasha Hashlamoun, MSF social worker supervisor who later visited the community for an assessment:
VOICE NOTE - 16.04.25 - Rasha Hashlamoun.ogg
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"When we arrived at the Jinba area, the first people we met in the area were the children. They directly asked us if we saw the damage that happened in our clinic, MSF clinic. And when we entered the clinic facility, we saw that there was huge damage happened on it. We were shocked, because there is nothing stable, everything like the furniture, the windows, all is destroyed. Then we sit with the people of the village and they start to describe [to us] what happened to them in the attack day, when the settlers attacked them and the Israeli army was there.
"They held them for four hours, as well as the communication with the outside world completely cut off. So, they described this feeling, that it was for them the most terrifying hours of their lives, because they had no idea what was going to happen to them next. Then they started to describe what they lost and because of the settlers attack, they lost a lot of basic things like the food, the furniture. For them it was very sensitive to lose the food because it was Eid, and it was the last night in Ramadan and they didn't find anything in the same day to prepare or to cook in this holiday. And for them it was huge."