Israel has announced plans to prohibit 37 international non-governmental organisations from operating in Gaza, citing their failure to comply with newly introduced security and transparency requirements. The move has sparked concern from the United Nations and humanitarian groups, who warn it could further aggravate the already dire humanitarian situation in the territory.
In a statement issued on Thursday, January 1, the Israeli Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism said the affected organisations did not meet the deadline to submit comprehensive information on their Palestinian staff and other operational details.
“Organisations that failed to comply with the required security and transparency standards will have their licences suspended,” the ministry said, adding that enforcement measures would follow.
Under the directive, the NGOs must halt their operations by March 1, 2026. The ministry explained that the groups were formally notified that their licences would be revoked from January 1, 2026, after a 10-month compliance period expired on Wednesday.
Israeli authorities said the regulations are aimed at preventing organisations suspected of aiding terrorism from operating in the Palestinian territories. According to the ministry, the key issue was the refusal of the NGOs to provide complete and verifiable information about their staff, which it described as essential to stopping militant infiltration into humanitarian operations.
Minister of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, Amichai Chikli, defended the decision, stating: “The message is clear: humanitarian assistance is welcome, but the abuse of humanitarian frameworks for terrorism is not.”
Several well-known humanitarian groups are among those affected, including Doctors Without Borders (MSF), World Vision International, and Oxfam. Israel alleged that MSF employed individuals with links to Palestinian militant groups Islamic Jihad and Hamas. MSF has denied the claims, arguing that the demand for staff lists could breach Israel’s obligations under international humanitarian law and insisting it would never knowingly employ individuals involved in military activities.
The decision has triggered strong criticism from civil society and international officials. Eighteen Israel-based left-wing NGOs condemned the move, saying the new framework undermines fundamental humanitarian principles of neutrality and independence.
In a joint statement, the groups said the policy “weaponises bureaucracy, creates barriers to aid delivery, and forces essential organisations to suspend operations.”
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk described the decision as “outrageous,” warning that it would worsen civilian suffering in Gaza. “Such arbitrary suspensions make an already unbearable situation even more severe for the people of Gaza,” he said.
Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, also cautioned that the move sets a “dangerous precedent,” stressing that attempts to control humanitarian organisations threaten the principles of neutrality, independence, impartiality, and humanity that underpin aid work globally.
Earlier this week, the foreign ministers of 10 countries, including France and the United Kingdom, called on Israel to ensure unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza, describing conditions there as “catastrophic.”
Although a fragile ceasefire has been in place since October following Israel’s war against Hamas after the October 7, 2023 attacks, humanitarian conditions in Gaza remain critical. UN data indicate that nearly 80 per cent of buildings have been damaged or destroyed, while around 1.5 million of the enclave’s more than two million residents have been displaced.
0 Comments