International NGOs Warn of Severe Humanitarian Impact from Israeli Measures on Aid Groups
International NGOs Warn of Severe Humanitarian Impact from Israeli Measures on Aid Groups
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Fifty-three international non-governmental organisations have warned that Israeli measures to revoke the operating licences of dozens of aid groups in the Palestinian territories could have serious humanitarian consequences. The organisations said the steps threaten to severely disrupt relief operations at a time when Palestinian civilians continue to face acute humanitarian needs.
In a joint statement, groups including Amnesty International, Médecins Sans Frontières and Oxfam said 37 international NGOs received formal notices on December 30, 2025, informing them that their registrations would expire the following day. The decision triggers a 60-day deadline after which the organisations would be required to halt activities in Gaza, the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem.
The NGOs warned that suspending their work could lead to the closure of health facilities, the interruption of food distribution, the breakdown of shelter supply chains and the loss of life-saving services. They said the impact would extend beyond Gaza to the West Bank, where military raids and settler violence have intensified.
The statement stressed that international NGOs are a core pillar of the humanitarian response, working closely with United Nations agencies and Palestinian civil society. Donor governments and the UN have repeatedly stated that these organisations play an essential role in delivering large-scale, life-saving assistance to the Palestinian population.
According to the organisations, humanitarian needs remain critical. One in four families in Gaza reportedly survives on only one meal a day, while winter storms have displaced tens of thousands of people, leaving around 1.3 million Palestinians in urgent need of shelter. NGOs provide more than half of Gaza’s food aid and support most field hospitals.
The groups said the issue goes beyond administrative procedures and reflects a political decision with far-reaching humanitarian consequences. They argued that humanitarian access is a legal obligation under international humanitarian law and called on Israel to immediately halt the deregistration process and lift restrictions on aid delivery.
The warnings come as Israeli authorities advance the deregistration process, citing incomplete legal requirements. Separately, the UN high commissioner for human rights urged Israel to reconsider proposed legislation expanding the use of the death penalty against Palestinians, warning that such measures would violate international law and fair trial standards.
