Israel confirmed on Thursday that it “will enforce the ban” on the activities of 37 major international humanitarian organizations in the Gaza Strip, citing their failure to provide the authorities with lists of their Palestinian employees, in accordance with a new piece of legislation.
اضافة اعلان
In a statement, Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism said that “organizations that did not comply with the required security and transparency standards will have their licenses suspended,” according to Agence France-Presse.
The move comes despite mounting international warnings about the consequences of the Israeli decision on the already dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, which has been experiencing what has been described as genocidal conditions for nearly two years.
For its part, the European Union warned that Israel’s threat to bar non-governmental organizations from operating in Gaza would prevent the delivery of “vital assistance” to the population of the devastated enclave.
European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid Hadja Lahbib wrote on X: “The European Union has been clear: the NGO registration law cannot be applied in its current form.”
She added, “International humanitarian law leaves no room for doubt: aid must reach those who need it.”
Israel announced on Tuesday that it will prohibit NGOs from operating in the Gaza Strip in 2026 unless they submit lists of their Palestinian staff by Wednesday.
