Overview
- In a joint statement published on January 2, a coalition of 53 organizations criticized Israel’s revocation or nonrenewal of licenses for dozens of NGOs operating in the occupied Palestinian territories and called for the decision to be reversed.
- The coalition says international NGOs deliver more than half of Gaza’s food assistance, support 60% of field hospitals, lead nearly three quarters of shelter and nonfood relief, and provide all treatment for children with severe acute malnutrition.
- The organizations warn that expelling or blocking NGOs would shut medical facilities, stop food deliveries, collapse shelter support, and further constrain aid in the West Bank where displacement continues under raids and settler violence.
- They urge donor governments and the United Nations to use all available tools to suspend or overturn the measures, noting that NGOs already meet strict compliance standards and cannot share sensitive personal data with a party to the conflict; they also cite more than 500 humanitarian workers killed.
- Israeli authorities defend the tighter registration introduced in 2025 on security grounds that include extensive staff data disclosures and other criteria, with reports indicating 37 NGOs from 16 countries are affected, including groups such as Médecins Sans Frontières, Oxfam, and Caritas.