United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called on Israel to reverse its decision to ban the activities of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the Gaza Strip.
Guterres expressed deep concern over the decision, warning that it threatens humanitarian relief efforts in the region and hampers the vital work carried out by organizations to meet the needs of civilians in Gaza. He stressed the importance of respecting human rights and fundamental humanitarian principles, urging Israel to allow these organizations to operate freely and without obstruction.
International humanitarian organizations working in the occupied Palestinian territory warned that recent Israeli registration measures “threaten to halt the operations of international NGOs at a time when civilians face acute and widespread humanitarian needs, despite the ceasefire in Gaza.”
In a statement issued Friday, the organizations said that 37 international NGOs had received official notices that their registrations would expire on December 31, 2025. After a 60-day period, these organizations would be required to cease operations in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
They added that international NGOs are a core pillar of the humanitarian response, working in partnership with the United Nations and Palestinian civil society organizations to deliver life-saving assistance at scale. The UN, the Country Humanitarian Team, and donor governments have repeatedly affirmed that these organizations are indispensable to humanitarian and development operations and have called on Israel to reverse this step.
The organizations noted that, despite the ceasefire, humanitarian needs remain extremely severe. In Gaza, one in four families survives on only one meal per day. They also pointed out that winter storms have displaced tens of thousands of people, leaving 1.3 million in urgent need of shelter.
They stated that international NGOs provide more than half of all food assistance in Gaza, manage or support 60% of field hospitals, implement nearly three-quarters of shelter and non-food item activities, and deliver all treatment services for children suffering from severe acute malnutrition.
The organizations warned that excluding them would lead to the closure of health facilities, the suspension of food distribution, the collapse of shelter supply chains, and the interruption of life-saving care.
Regarding the West Bank, the organizations said that continued Israeli raids and settler violence have forced residents to flee, and that imposing additional restrictions on the work of international NGOs would sharply reduce the scope and continuity of life-saving assistance at a critical moment.
They emphasized that recent efforts to assess the impact of canceling NGO registrations through selective indicators do not reflect how humanitarian aid is actually delivered. Humanitarian access, they said, should be measured by whether civilians receive appropriate assistance, in the right place, and at the right time.
The statement explained that international NGOs operate under strict compliance frameworks imposed by donors and due diligence requirements aligned with international standards. It added that more than 500 humanitarian workers have been killed since October 7, 2023, and that these organizations cannot share sensitive personal data with any party to the conflict, as doing so would violate humanitarian principles, duty of care, and data protection obligations. False narratives, they warned, undermine the legitimacy of humanitarian organizations, endanger staff, and obstruct aid delivery.
The organizations said this is not a technical or administrative matter, but a deliberate political choice with foreseeable consequences. If registration cancellations and expirations proceed, the Israeli government will obstruct humanitarian assistance on a large scale. Humanitarian access, they stressed, is neither optional, conditional, nor political, but a legal obligation under international humanitarian law.
They cautioned that the move would set a dangerous precedent by expanding Israeli control over humanitarian operations in the occupied Palestinian territory, in contravention of the internationally recognized legal framework governing the area and the role of the Palestinian Authority.
The organizations called on the Israeli government to immediately halt registration cancellation procedures and cease measures that impede humanitarian assistance. They also urged donor governments to use all available leverage to ensure these measures are suspended and reversed, stressing the need to protect independent and principled humanitarian operations so civilians can urgently receive the assistance they need.
On the health sector, the organizations said international NGOs manage or support around 60% of field hospitals in Gaza, and that deregistration would result in the immediate closure of nearly one-third of health facilities. In terms of food security, they provided more than half of all food assistance in 2024, including the majority of cooked meal distribution points.
Regarding shelter, international NGOs implemented nearly three-quarters of shelter and non-food item activities, with approximately 600,000 shelter items currently in their supply chains. In water, sanitation, and hygiene, they deliver 42% of WASH services, including prevention and response to outbreaks of acute watery diarrhea.
In nutrition, international NGOs support all five supplementary feeding centers treating children with severe acute malnutrition, representing 100% of Gaza’s therapeutic capacity. In mine action, they provide more than half of the funding for explosive hazard removal, and their exclusion would reduce capacity by up to 100%.
In education, international NGOs manage or support around 30% of education-in-emergencies activities, which already reach only a limited proportion of school-age children.
The organizations signing the statement reiterated that principled humanitarian organizations cannot share sensitive personal data of local staff or their family members, in line with humanitarian principles, duty of care obligations, and global data protection standards applied in all contexts. This was a reference to Israeli occupation requirements that NGOs share data on Palestinian staff under the pretext of conducting “security screening.”
The statement was signed by 53 international organizations, including Amnesty International, Oxfam, Doctors Without Borders (MSF), the Danish Refugee Council, Norwegian Refugee Council, CARE, Save the Children partners, and numerous humanitarian, medical, and development organizations.
AFP
