Israel announced Tuesday that it will suspend operations of more than two dozen humanitarian organizations in the Gaza Strip starting January 1, 2026, after they failed to comply with new registration and vetting requirements designed to prevent infiltration by militant groups like Hamas.
The measures aim to block Hamas exploitation of aid channels; affected groups account for <1% of total aid, with no expected impact on overall volume via approved entities.
Groups call the rules unsafe and arbitrary, warning of major disruptions to lifesaving services for Gaza's population amid an ongoing humanitarian emergency.
Israel announced Tuesday that it will suspend operations of more than two dozen humanitarian organizations in the Gaza Strip starting January 1, 2026, after they failed to comply with new registration and vetting requirements designed to prevent infiltration by militant groups like Hamas.
The Ministry of Diaspora Affairs stated that around 25–30 groups, representing about 15% of organizations active in Gaza, did not meet the updated rules, which mandate detailed disclosure of staff names, funding sources, and operational information. Among the prominent affected organizations are Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and CARE International. The ministry specifically accused MSF of failing to address Israeli allegations that some of its staff had links to Hamas or Islamic Jihad.
“The message is clear: humanitarian assistance is welcome, the exploitation of humanitarian frameworks for terrorism is not,” said Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli.
Israel's defense coordination body, COGAT, downplayed the impact, noting that the suspended groups contribute less than 1% of total aid entering Gaza, and operations will continue through more than 20 approved organizations. The decision follows new registration guidelines introduced earlier in 2025 amid ongoing disputes over aid delivery in the war-ravaged territory, home to over 2 million people still recovering from the two-year conflict and recent ceasefire.
Humanitarian groups have condemned the move as arbitrary, opaque, and a breach of core principles of neutrality and independence. They warn that the suspensions could severely disrupt critical services, including healthcare, food distribution, water supply, education, and mental health support , especially as Gaza's health system remains devastated. MSF, one of the largest medical providers in the enclave, warned that losing access would mean "a large portion of people in Gaza will lose access to critical medical care, water, and lifesaving support."
Many organizations refused to submit full staff lists, citing risks to Palestinian employees (who could face targeting), European data protection laws, and the fact that over 500 aid workers have been killed in Gaza since the war began. Aid actors offered alternatives like third-party vetting but say Israel has not engaged meaningfully.
The suspensions revoke licenses to operate in Gaza, requiring closure of offices in Israel and East Jerusalem, and barring international staff entry by March 1 (with appeals possible). The move heightens tensions between Israel and the international humanitarian community, which disputes Israeli claims of systematic aid diversion by Hamas — allegations denied by the UN and most agencies.
