The UN and other aid agencies fear new Israeli registration rules for dozens of international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) risk the collapse of the humanitarian response in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip.

INGOs not registered by 31 December face closure of their operations in Israel within 60 days, which the agencies say could severely disrupt healthcare and other life-saving services in Gaza.

Save the Children said its application had not been approved and it was pursuing all available avenues to have this decision reconsidered.

Israel's ministry of diaspora affairs and combating antisemitism said the departure of rogue organisations would not affect the delivery of aid.

Fourteen out of approximately 100 applications have so far been rejected, with 21 approved and the remainder under review, according to the ministry. The registration system introduced in March encompasses several grounds for rejection, creating significant hurdles for aid organizations.

  • Denying the existence of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state
  • Denying the Holocaust or the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023
  • Supporting an armed struggle against Israel by an enemy state or terrorist organisation
  • Promoting delegitimisation campaigns against Israel
  • Calling for a boycott of Israel or committing to participate in one
  • Supporting the prosecution of Israeli security forces in foreign or international courts

The Humanitarian Country Team of the Occupied Palestinian Territory warned that these regulations fundamentally jeopardise the operations of INGOs, noting that only a small fraction of the necessary aid organizations have been approved.

If INGOs are forced to cease operations, the consequences will be dire, including potential shutdowns of one in three health facilities in Gaza.

As the humanitarian needs in the region continue to escalate, the UN has stressed the importance of ensuring ongoing operations of INGOs to meet critical needs and uphold international humanitarian law.

In response to concerns, Israeli officials maintain that ample time was provided for organizations to secure registration, dismissing claims of mass rejections as exaggerated, and assuring that humanitarian aid will continue uninterrupted.