Doctors Without Borders reports movement restrictions hinder West Bank healthcare access

Doctors Without Borders’ regional director Frederica Venturi warned on Thursday that Palestinians in the West Bank continue to face severe movement restrictions that cripple access to essential health services, even after Israeli forces withdrew from Hebron earlier this month. The statement came during a briefing with France 24, where Venturi highlighted that the withdrawal has not eased the humanitarian crisis gripping the area.

Venturi said roughly 3,300 Palestinians have been forcibly displaced since the recent clashes, and at least 15 homes have been demolished, leaving families with nowhere to return. The restrictions, imposed during a lockdown that began in late September, have prevented medical teams from reaching many villages and neighborhoods. Hospitals in the region report chronic shortages of essential medicines, a problem compounded by the inability of supply trucks to navigate blocked roads. Health workers say the curfew and checkpoints have turned routine care into a logistical nightmare, forcing patients to travel long distances on foot or forgo treatment altogether.

The ongoing constraints have sparked criticism from local and international observers who argue that the measures violate basic humanitarian principles. Palestinian health officials warned that delayed care could lead to a surge in preventable deaths, especially among the elderly and those with chronic illnesses. MSF has called on Israeli authorities to lift the restrictions and allow unimpeded humanitarian access, emphasizing that the right to health cannot be suspended by security policies. The organization also urged donors to fund emergency medical supplies to bridge the current shortfall. As the situation unfolds, the next weeks will test whether any diplomatic pressure can translate into concrete relief for the affected communities, or whether the health crisis will deepen alongside the ongoing conflict.