Israeli authorities plan to bar 37 international nongovernmental organizations (INGOs) from operating in Gaza and the West Bank starting March 1, 2026, after the groups refused to provide lists of their staff and biodata under new registration requirements. Humanitarian organizations argue that these rules undermine the principles of neutrality and independence, threatening the delivery of lifesaving aid to Palestinians. On February 22, more than 15 organizations appealed to the Israeli High Court, stating that the requirements violate international humanitarian law and could cut off critical assistance.
International aid groups have long supported Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, under extremely challenging conditions. Only 27 organizations have complied with the registration requirements, leaving gaps in aid provision. Humanitarian agencies warn that if the 37 barred groups cease operations, one in three health facilities in Gaza could close immediately, 20,000 patients requiring monthly specialized care would lose access, and sanitation and malnutrition detection and treatment would face severe setbacks.
The affected organizations, including Oxfam, the Norwegian Refugee Council, Save the Children, and Médecins Sans Frontières, provide a substantial portion of essential services in Gaza, running 60 percent of field hospitals, all stabilization centers for children with severe malnutrition, and delivering 42 percent of water, sanitation, and hygiene services. These organizations have consistently operated amid Israeli attacks, blockades, and restrictions that exacerbate humanitarian crises, including the use of starvation as a weapon of war, destruction of civilian infrastructure, and displacement of Palestinians.
Government Resolution No. 2542, approved in December 2024, mandates that all INGOs providing aid to Palestinian residents register with the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism by December 31, 2025, or risk losing their license and ceasing operations by March 1, 2026. The law grants the Israeli government broad powers to deny or revoke registration based on perceived “public safety or state security” risks and does not apply to organizations serving Israeli citizens, including those in East Jerusalem. Humanitarian groups argue that transferring staff biodata to the authorities would breach humanitarian principles, duty of care, and data protection obligations.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza is dire. As of mid-October 2025, around 81 percent of structures had been damaged, including all hospitals and most primary health centers, and more than 97 percent of schools. Between mid-October and the end of November, about 1.6 million people—77 percent of Gaza’s population—faced crisis-level hunger or worse. Continued restrictions by Israeli authorities have resulted in shortages of medicines, food, water, and reconstruction equipment, despite a ceasefire in October 2023.
The barring of these 37 organizations follows Israel’s earlier restrictions on the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), limiting aid delivery and closing schools. In the West Bank, settler violence, forced displacement, and housing demolitions have intensified, with 32,000 people displaced from refugee camps in early 2025 and denied return. Humanitarian workers continue to provide both relief and advocacy for civilian protection under international law, emphasizing that politicizing aid threatens the dignity and survival of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.
