Israel has announced that the licenses of 37 international NGOs operating in Gaza and the West Bank will expire on January 1, 2026, due to noncompliance with new registration requirements introduced under a government resolution on March 1, 2025. The resolution mandates that NGOs submit detailed documentation about their organization and operations, including a complete list of all foreign and Palestinian employees with their passport and identification numbers.
The inter-ministerial team reviewing the applications is authorized to deny registration for multiple reasons, such as if an NGO denies Israel’s status as a Jewish and democratic state, promotes delegitimization campaigns, or has called for a boycott of Israel. The Diaspora Affairs Ministry stated that the regulations are necessary following security findings alleging that some NGO workers were involved in terrorist activities, citing two such employees previously employed by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), which has denied knowingly hiring individuals engaged in military activities.
The ministry emphasized that NGOs, including MSF, had 10 months to comply with the registration process, with an initial September deadline extended to December 31 to provide sufficient time for submissions. According to COGAT, the Defense Ministry agency coordinating humanitarian aid to Gaza, the revocation of these licenses will not affect aid delivery, as the organizations in question had not provided aid to Gaza since the ceasefire began on October 10. Before the ceasefire, their combined contribution amounted to only about 1% of total aid.
COGAT explained that the registration process is designed to prevent the misuse of humanitarian aid by Hamas, which it claims has exploited aid frameworks for fund diversion, recruitment of local employees for terrorist purposes, and channeling resources from terror-linked sources. International organizations, however, have criticized Israel’s rules as arbitrary and potentially endangering staff.
While technically NGOs could continue operations in Gaza without an Israeli license, practical limitations—such as the need to coordinate with Israeli authorities and restricted access through Egypt—make such operations nearly impossible. Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli stated that Israel welcomes humanitarian assistance but will not tolerate the exploitation of humanitarian frameworks for terrorist activities, underscoring the government’s commitment to protecting its sovereignty and the integrity of aid operations.
