Israel’s decision to suspend more than three dozen humanitarian organizations operating in Gaza marks a tightening of administrative control over aid delivery rather than a shift in battlefield policy. Israeli authorities said 37 groups failed to meet revised registration requirements introduced in March 2025, including detailed disclosures on staff identities, funding streams, and operational procedures. Permits will be revoked starting Thursday, with Israel-based offices required to close by March 1. The move constrains aid flows at a moment when Gaza’s civilian systems remain heavily degraded despite a ceasefire that took effect on October 10.

Organizations affected include Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières, MSF), the Norwegian Refugee Council, CARE International, the International Rescue Committee, and national affiliates of Oxfam and Caritas. Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the groups did not renew permits because they failed to satisfy transparency requirements. Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli said, “Humanitarian assistance is welcome. The exploitation of humanitarian frameworks for terrorism is not.”

“Catastrophic Impact”

MSF rejected Israeli allegations that some of its staff cooperated with Hamas, saying, “MSF would never knowingly employ people engaging in military activity.” The organization said the suspensions would have a “catastrophic impact” on health care delivery in Gaza, where it supports roughly 20 percent of hospital beds and about one-third of births. More than half of Gaza’s health facilities are only partially functional, according to a joint statement by 10 governments, and many face shortages of equipment and medicines.

Aid groups argue the new rules create an operational trade-off between compliance and staff safety. Israel now requires NGOs to submit lists of local Palestinian employees. Several organizations said they withheld those names because hundreds of aid workers have been killed since October 2023. Shaina Low of the Norwegian Refugee Council said the concern was both legal and physical, noting the risk of staff being targeted.

European Alarm, Legal Context

The suspensions drew criticism from Britain, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Japan, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland, which warned of a “renewed deterioration” of conditions in Gaza. Their joint statement cited 1.3 million people needing urgent shelter support, 740,000 exposed to toxic flooding due to collapsed sanitation systems, and winter temperatures compounding risks. Israel dismissed the statement as “false but unsurprising,” accusing critics of ignoring the requirement to disarm Hamas.

The decision also intersects with prior legal findings. In October 2024, the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion stating Israel must support relief efforts in Gaza, including those conducted by UNRWA, and ensure access to food, water, shelter, fuel, and medicine. Israel has repeatedly accused UNRWA of Hamas infiltration, claims the United Nations said were unsubstantiated.

More than 71,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023, according to Gaza authorities cited by aid groups, with hundreds dying from malnutrition and thousands from preventable disease. Aid organizations say the suspension regime risks further constraining already limited humanitarian throughput in an enclave of more than 2 million people.