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PRESS RELEASE – MERCY MALAYSIA CONDEMNS ATTACKS ON CIVILIANS AT GAZA AID SITES, CALLS FOR IMMEDIATE HUMANITARIAN ACCESS

Kuala Lumpur, 3 July 2025 – MERCY Malaysia expresses its profound alarm and deep condemnation over the continued killing of civilians at humanitarian aid distribution sites in Gaza. We reiterate our urgent call for a halt to these deadly attacks, and for all parties to the conflict to allow immediate, unimpeded access to humanitarian assistance, in accordance with international humanitarian law (IHL).

The death toll continues to rise as desperate civilians, already starved and weakened, are forced to walk for hours through perilous terrain and active conflict zones in search of food. These journeys, fraught with danger, often end in tragedy: in less than a month, over 500 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 4,000 injured while attempting to reach or distribute humanitarian aid. Among the dead and injured are many children, some of them killed while holding bags of flour or waiting in food line. This alarming toll underscores the failure of current distribution mechanisms and the imperative for a coordinated, safe, and dignified humanitarian response.

We are particularly outraged by the killing of Dr. Marwan Sultan Abu Omar, the Director of the Indonesian Hospital and the intensifying threat to healthcare personnel and institutions. Such acts not only violate the sanctity of medical neutrality but also contravene fundamental tenets of IHL, which clearly stipulate that medical personnel, facilities, and transports must be protected at all times.

As Gaza’s Shifa Hospital faces imminent shutdown due to fuel depletion, the consequences for patients, including newborns, the injured, and the chronically ill, are catastrophic. The collapse of essential medical infrastructure in the face of ongoing hostilities constitutes a grave breach of the Geneva Conventions.

More than 340 humanitarian workers have been killed, including 253 staff from the United Nations—the highest toll of aid worker fatalities ever recorded in a single conflict. This loss is not only a humanitarian tragedy but a direct assault on the international community’s ability to respond effectively to crises.

MERCY Malaysia remains firmly guided by the core humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence. We believe that where the scale of suffering is most profound, the humanitarian response must be equally robust. In Gaza, the asymmetry of suffering is stark and undeniable.

“We are witnessing the systematic destruction of civilian life, humanitarian infrastructure, and medical services under the pretext of security. No security rationale can justify the killing of civilians queuing for food or the bombardment of hospitals,” said Dato’ Dr Ahmad Faizal Mohd Perdaus, President of MERCY Malaysia. “We call on all parties to uphold international humanitarian law, to cease targeting humanitarian operations, and to allow safe, sustained, and unconditional access to humanitarian aid. Without this, Gaza faces not only the threat of famine but the moral collapse of our shared humanity.”

At the heart of every humanitarian mission lies an unwavering commitment: to alleviate suffering, protect life, and uphold the dignity of every person in crisis. Yet, compassion alone is not enough. What this moment demands is principled, coordinated, and courageous action. The international community must speak in one voice, calling not just for empathy, but for protection, access, and accountability.

MERCY Malaysia calls for the immediate cessation of the current deadly aid distribution mechanism. Humanitarian access must be guaranteed full, unhindered, and through all viable crossings without delay or condition. The safety and protection of health workers, humanitarian personnel, and critical infrastructure must be upheld in accordance with international humanitarian law. Violations that have led to mass civilian casualties and the deliberate obstruction of life-saving aid must not go unaddressed.

For the latest updates and further information, please follow our social media channels at
@mercymalaysia or reach out to us directly at [email protected].

For further information, please contact:

  • Khadeejah Shafie, Senior Communications Officer, MERCY Malaysia
    E: [email protected] I M: +60 19 5597673
  • Saiful Aimran, Communications Officer, MERCY Malaysia
    E:[email protected] | M:+60 19 2531281

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MERCY Malaysia is an international non-profit organisation focusing on providing emergency relief, sustainable health-related development and building resilient communities activities for vulnerable communities, in both crisis and non-crisis situation.
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