Brussels - Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is deeply disappointed that Dr Mohammed Obeid, a respected orthopaedic surgeon, and long-time MSF colleague, remains detained in Israel and was not released as part of the recent ceasefire agreement. We call for his immediate and unconditional release.

Dr Obeid was arrested on 26 October 2024 by Israeli forces during a military operation at the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, Palestine. He was detained along with 57 others and has since been held without contact with his family for nearly a full year.

“We are extremely concerned for his safety and wellbeing,” says Dr Tejshri Shah, MSF's general director in Belgium. “We stand in full solidarity with him and his family, and demand that his rights, dignity, and freedom be restored without further delay.”

A highly skilled medical professional, Dr Obeid has been providing critical surgical care to patients in Gaza with MSF since 2018.

His case is not isolated. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 300 healthcare workers from Gaza have been detained by Israeli forces since October 2023.

“At a time when medical needs in Gaza are at their highest, the role of medical and paramedical staff is crucial,” says Dr Shah.