DaysofPal – United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on Israel to reverse its decision to ban 37 nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) operating in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, warning that the move threatens to further devastate an already fragile humanitarian situation.
In a statement issued on Friday, Guterres described the work of the affected organizations as “indispensable to life-saving humanitarian efforts,” according to UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric. He cautioned that suspending their operations “risks undermining the fragile progress made during the ceasefire.”
Israel announced the ban after accusing the organizations of failing to comply with new registration requirements that mandate aid groups to provide detailed information about staff members, funding sources, and operational activities. Israeli authorities have said the ban will be enforced beginning March 1.
Humanitarian experts and rights advocates have strongly criticized the new requirements, describing them as arbitrary and contrary to established humanitarian principles. Aid organizations have warned that sharing sensitive personal data about their Palestinian employees could expose them to serious security risks.
Among the organizations targeted are several national branches of Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières), the Norwegian Refugee Council, and the International Rescue Committee, all of which play critical roles in providing medical care, shelter, and emergency assistance to civilians.
Since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, approximately 500 aid workers and volunteers have been killed, highlighting the extreme dangers faced by humanitarian personnel. Overall, at least 71,271 Palestinians have been killed during the conflict, according to available figures.
Guterres warned that the NGO ban compounds earlier Israeli restrictions that have already delayed the entry of essential food, medical supplies, hygiene kits, and shelter materials into Gaza.
“This recent action will further exacerbate the humanitarian crisis facing Palestinians,” he said.
Nearly the entire population of Gaza has been displaced, with hundreds of thousands still living in tents or makeshift shelters. Although a ceasefire agreement that took effect in October was supposed to ensure unhindered humanitarian access, aid groups and UN agencies say Israel has continued to restrict the flow of assistance.
The United Nations said that persistent shortages include supplies required to enhance shelter and shield civilians from flooding and severe winter storms, making living conditions for displaced families worse.
Earlier on Friday, the foreign ministers of Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Türkiye, Pakistan, and Indonesia issued a joint warning that deteriorating conditions in Gaza threaten to claim even more civilian lives.
“Flooded camps, damaged tents, the collapse of weakened buildings, and exposure to cold temperatures combined with malnutrition have significantly heightened risks to civilian lives,” the statement said.
The ministers urged the international community to pressure Israel, as the occupying power, to immediately lift restrictions on the entry and distribution of essential supplies, including tents, shelter materials, medical aid, clean water, fuel, and sanitation support.
UN officials and international partners caution that limiting aid organizations could cause an already dire situation to worsen into an irreversible humanitarian collapse as Gaza’s humanitarian needs continue to rise.
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