Israel to Suspend 37 Aid Groups in Gaza From Jan. 1, Including MSF

Overview

• Israel set a Dec. 31 deadline for NGOs to submit Palestinian staff lists and other disclosures, with licenses to be revoked starting Jan. 1.
• Officials justify the move as security vetting and allege some workers’ ties to Hamas and Islamic Jihad, claims aid organizations deny.
• The UN human rights chief called the suspensions “scandalous” and the EU warned they would block vital assistance, as 10 foreign ministers urged predictable NGO access.
• COGAT says the affected groups account for under 1% of total aid and that more than 20 organizations remain authorized to operate in Gaza.
• MSF warns of severe care gaps if barred, noting it supports roughly 20% of hospital beds in Gaza and around one third of births.