Charity Commission opens regulatory case into UK branch of Médecins Sans Frontières

The Charity Commission has opened a regulatory compliance case into the UK branch of the Médecins Sans Frontières charity, after being sent a dossier alleging links between MSF and terrorist groups in Gaza including Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the PFLP.

The report, compiled by the UKLFI (UK Lawyers for Israel group) provides details of a number of staffers for the medical charity, also known as “Doctors without Borders”, who were also believed to be affiliated with the terrorist organisations, as well as a number of MSF employees in Gaza accused of openly celebrating the 7 October massacre carried out by Hamas. It also noted that MSF’s former Secretary General released a report in late 2023 accusing the organisation of being an accomplice of Hamas, which included a review of approximately 100 Facebook accounts believed to belong to MSF employees in Gaza.

One of the most significant cases, as detailed by UKLFI in its report, concerns Fadi Jihad Mohammed al-Wadiya, who worked as an MSF physiotherapist and was killed in Gaza in June 2024.

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Following his death, the Israeli authorities identified al-Wadiya as a PIJ operative involved in developing the organisation’s rocket capabilities. MSF initially disputed the allegation. However, in February 2026, PIJ’s own military wing published material identifying al-Wadiya as a commander and deputy head of its military manufacturing unit. MSF subsequently stated that it had had no indication of his military involvement and that it would never knowingly employ anyone engaged in military activity.

Reactions from a number of alleged MSF staffers in Gaza on 7 October included statements such as “Always remember, Gaza did what all the Arab armies together did not do!! It dug tunnels with its own hands, it manufactured weapons with its own hands!! It sacrificed its sons, women, young and old, its houses and mosques for the sake of the honour of this land!! It washed away the shame of the treacherous Zionist-supporting Arabs!! It cast the usurping bastard occupying Israeli entity into the mud”. Another account believed to belong to an MSF staff member wrote that “Half of Gaza is in Sderot and half of Sderot is in Gaza”, along with a laughing emoji.”

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In its response to UKLFI, a representative from the Charity Commission’s High Risk Compliance team wrote that “we can confirm that the Commission has opened a regulatory compliance case to consider matters relating to the Charity and will assess and consider the concerns you have raised as part of this case.”

UKLFI described its own argument as being that MSF UK’s financial and governance relationships with MSF’s international operational centres make it important to establish what oversight its UK trustees exercise over activities undertaken in Gaza.

The complaint also asks the Commission to examine the adequacy of staff vetting procedures and whether MSF UK has complied with its obligations to report serious incidents involving potential terrorist connections.

UKLFI stressed that the Charity Commission has not announced any findings of wrongdoing by MSF UK, and the opening of a regulatory compliance case does not establish that the charity or its trustees have breached charity law.

However, the Commission’s confirmation means that UKLFI’s concerns will be considered as part of a formal regulatory compliance case concerning the charity.

A UKLFI spokesperson said: “”We welcome the Charity Commission’s confirmation that it has opened a regulatory compliance case concerning Médecins Sans Frontières UK and will consider the serious concerns raised in our report.

“MSF is one of the world’s most prominent medical charities, and its humanitarian work depends on the confidence of donors that their contributions are being used exclusively for legitimate charitable purposes. Our investigation has identified deeply concerning evidence of individuals employed by MSF who have been linked to terrorist organisations.

“We have also raised serious questions about MSF’s relationships with Hamas-controlled institutions in Gaza, the safeguards governing the transfer of charitable funds and the responsibilities of its UK trustees. Providing medical care to civilians in conflict zones is vital, but humanitarian objectives do not remove the obligation to undertake rigorous due diligence and ensure that charitable funds, facilities and personnel are not used to support terrorism.

“We hope that the Charity Commission will examine these matters thoroughly and establish whether MSF UK and its trustees have complied with their legal and regulatory obligations.”

In a statement given to The Telegraph, a spokesman for MSF UK said: “MSF would never knowingly employ anyone involved in military activities, which contradicts our core values and ethics. Any employee who engages in military activity would pose a danger to our staff and patients.

“We understand why the Charity Commission is engaging with us in relation to these allegations and we are cooperating fully. We are confident in the integrity of our processes.”