Israel announced it will halt operations within 36 hours for dozens of aid organizations working in Gaza, citing failure to meet new requirements for providing personal details of Palestinian and international staff. The decision impacts several prominent humanitarian groups, including ActionAid, the International Rescue Committee and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).
Aid Restrictions Amid Humanitarian Crisis
The Ministry of Diaspora Affairs’ announcement comes as fierce storms have recently destroyed thousands of tents in Gaza, worsening an already severe humanitarian crisis. Ten foreign ministers expressed “serious concerns” about a “renewed deterioration of the humanitarian situation,” describing conditions as “catastrophic.”
The ministers, representing Britain, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Japan, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland, highlighted the plight of civilians facing heavy rainfall and dropping temperatures. They noted that 1.3 million people still require shelter, over half of health facilities are partially functional with critical shortages, and 740,000 people are vulnerable to toxic flooding due to the collapse of sanitation infrastructure.
Calls for Increased Aid Access
The ministers urged the UN and its partners to continue their work in Gaza and called for the lifting of “unreasonable [Israeli] restrictions” on imports with potential dual-use applications. Hundreds of items, including vital medical and shelter equipment, have been blocked by Israel due to concerns they could be used by Hamas to rebuild tunnels or for military purposes.
They also advocated for opening crossings to increase the flow of humanitarian aid, noting that corridors, including Rafah – the largest entry point from Egypt – remain closed or severely restricted. While commercial cargo is being allowed in more freely, bureaucratic processes and screenings are causing delays.
The ministers stated that the target of 4,200 trucks per week, including 250 UN trucks daily, should be a minimum, and urged for increased capacity to meet the vast scale of need. Under a ceasefire agreement reached in October, Israel is obligated to allow “full aid” to be “immediately sent into Gaza.”
Ceasefire Stalled, Unrwa Targeted
The ceasefire ended two years of conflict, but progress toward a lasting peace deal has stalled. Israel has stated it will not withdraw from 53% of Gaza under its control until Hamas disarms and returns the remains of a hostage. Hamas has so far refused to commit to full disarmament.
A new law passed in Israel will cut off electricity, water, and communications services to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (Unrwa). Previous laws had already halted agency operations within Israel and ended government contact. The International Court of Justice previously cleared Unrwa of allegations of impartiality.
Israeli Justification and Aid Volume
Israeli officials claim ample warning was given regarding the new registration requirements, and that approximately 15% of NGOs operating in Gaza have not had their permits renewed. The ministry stated that humanitarian organizations failing to meet security and transparency requirements will have their licenses suspended, particularly those “refusing to submit a list of their Palestinian employees” to rule out links to terrorism.
The ministry alleges an investigation found two MSF employees with ties to Palestinian militant groups – an alleged Hamas sniper and a member of Palestinian Islamic Jihad. MSF stated it “would never knowingly employ people engaging in military activity” and is continuing discussions with Israeli authorities regarding its registration.
Cogat, the Israeli agency administering Gaza and the West Bank, said the organizations whose operations will be suspended had not delivered aid to Gaza since the October ceasefire and accounted for only about 1% of the total aid volume previously provided. They claim the decision will not harm the overall volume of humanitarian aid entering Gaza.
Other organizations affected include Care International, and divisions of Oxfam and Caritas, all of which provide essential social services like food distribution, healthcare, and mental health support. The ministry stated that approximately 100 registration requests were submitted, with 14 rejected and the remainder approved or under review.
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