Israel Halts Operations of 38 Humanitarian Organizations in Gaza

The Israeli Ministry of Diaspora Affairs announced the suspension of operations for more than three dozen humanitarian organizations in Gaza, including Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières). This decision, which impacts 38 non-governmental organizations (NGOs), is set to take effect on January 1, 2026, following the failure of these groups to comply with new regulatory requirements established by the government.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the ministry outlined that the affected organizations did not meet the revised criteria, which were posted online in November. One of the key stipulations requires NGOs to provide a complete list of their Palestinian employees. The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), which manages the flow of aid into Gaza, emphasized that this measure aims to prevent the potential misuse of humanitarian assistance by Hamas, stating, “certain international aid organizations have, knowingly or unknowingly, operated under the cover of Hamas.”

The suspension has sparked significant concern among humanitarian groups. Doctors Without Borders expressed their apprehension that the new registration guidelines could jeopardize critical healthcare services for hundreds of thousands in Gaza. Earlier this month, the organization asserted in a blog post that the changes “risk leaving hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza without lifesaving healthcare in 2026.” The United Nations’ Humanitarian Country Team echoed these sentiments, criticizing the requirements as “vague, politicized and impossible to meet without breaching humanitarian principles.”

Despite the suspension, COGAT has sought to minimize its impact, maintaining that the decision will not adversely affect the overall volume of humanitarian aid entering Gaza. According to their statement, the combined contributions of the suspended organizations constituted only 1% of the total aid volume in the region.

Political implications accompany the operational halt. Mike Huckabee, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, highlighted the situation on social media, linking to a Ynet article discussing the suspensions. He remarked, “An ongoing scandal ignored by UN & European enablers shows why Israel has to decertify some of the NGOs who have terrorists on their payroll.”

This development emerges amid ongoing discussions about a U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel, as President Donald Trump pushes for its implementation. Speaking alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump remarked that he believes reconstruction efforts in Gaza will “begin pretty soon,” while highlighting that work to enhance sanitary conditions has already started.

The challenges facing aid groups have intensified in light of recent storms and flooding that have exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Despite these conditions, Israel’s enforcement of aid restrictions has persisted, raising alarms among relief organizations.

In June 2024, Doctors Without Borders faced accusations from Israel of employing a Hamas operative. In response, the organization stated it was “deeply concerned by these allegations and is taking them very seriously.” The NGO’s refusal to comply with the registration process, including the demand for a list of employees, has contributed to its suspension.

As the humanitarian landscape in Gaza continues to evolve, the ramifications of Israel’s decisions will likely resonate across the region, affecting thousands of vulnerable individuals reliant on aid for their survival.