We have had 45 trucks not allowed in since January: Doctors Without Borders

KUALA LUMPUR: Humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) has said Malaysia must translate its vocal support for Palestine into sustained diplomatic pressure to secure humanitarian access to Gaza as dozens of aid trucks remain stalled despite a declared ceasefire.

Its Australia head of programmes Simon Eccleshall described middle powers such as Malaysia as crucial in overcoming international gridlock and pushing for accountability at multilateral platforms.

“Fundamentally, it comes back to the big ask we have of governments such as Malaysia, middle powers and reasonable states around the world: apply more pressure on Israel.

“If it is not the United States, can we use middle powers? Can we get states such as Malaysia to sign letters with other states such as Canada or Australia to say, look, this is the responsible middle path?

“If states are not putting pressure globally through the United Nations and other mechanisms, then there is no pressure to stop,” he said during a closed media exchange session at Cititel Mid Valley here yesterday.

Humanitarian organisations are constrained by political realities and cannot resolve diplomatic impasses on their own, he said.

“We have had 45 trucks waiting at the border since January that have not been allowed in. Some of those trucks have been through checks six and seven times and they are rejected.

“Maybe on the eighth or ninth time they might allow a truck through. There is no predictability.”

Even when entry is permitted, certain items are restricted under “dual-use” classifications.

“A scalpel is designated as dual-use because it could be used as a weapon. Diesel needed to run hospital generators and desalination plants has been blocked because it is viewed as having potential military use.”

He said such restrictions have constrained ICUs, water systems and other critical infrastructure.

While Malaysian medical personnel have served in other Doctors Without Borders missions, none are deployed in Gaza.

A Doctors Without Borders spokesperson said security and evacuation considerations play a role.

“We have Malaysian international mobile staff, but they go to Afghanistan and Sudan, not to Gaza, because our IC does not allow us to be in Israel. Security is one of the biggest factors in Doctors Without Borders operations.

“They would prefer the closest route out of the country if there is any conflict or evacuation need. The closest route is Israel, but we cannot go to Israel and get out.”

Eccleshall said staffing levels are not the limiting factor in Gaza.

“In Gaza, we are not short of staff. There are so many workers eager to go and contribute. The barrier is about the Israeli government and registration. It is not about supply.”

More than 1,000 Doctors Without Borders staff operating in Gaza are locally hired Palestinians, compared with about 60 international personnel.

He said international deployments are influenced by entry permissions and evacuation feasibility.

“States will sometimes highlight passports they are not comfortable with. That could be from your end, saying we do not want Malaysian citizens going to war zones because we do not have consular support, or it can be the other side.

“In Afghanistan, for example, the Taliban would say, ‘Doctors Without Borders, we trust you. You can bring in any nationalities you like, except Americans. Other passports are fine’.

“Navigating the legal barriers and ensuring evacuation routes are viable is something we look at very carefully.”

Eccleshall said despite the constraints, Malaysian doctors are committed to humanitarian missions.

“Some Malaysian doctors will save the entire year’s leave, two years’ leave, and then they will go for a mission.

“That is the dedication we have. Motivation is not the problem. The issue is that we wish we could do more but are blocked.”

 The Sun Malaysia