Israel Cancels Permits of Dozens of International Aid Groups in Gaza Amid Humanitarian Crisis
Such Move Threatens to Deepen Humanitarian Catastrophe Amid Ongoing Siege and Attacks
Palestine | PUREWILAYAH.COM — Israeli occupation authorities have revoked the operating permits of 37 international humanitarian organizations working in the Gaza Strip, a move widely condemned as a deliberate escalation that threatens to further deepen the already catastrophic humanitarian crisis in the besieged enclave.
According to Israeli media reports, the decision came into effect on Sunday following the implementation of newly imposed “security registration” procedures enforced by the occupation authorities.
Permits Cancelled Under New Israeli Registration Mechanism
Israel’s public broadcaster reported that the cancellations were triggered by the organizations’ alleged failure to comply with updated security registration requirements, including the submission of detailed staff information.
The occupation authorities claimed that the affected organizations account for less than one percent of total aid entering Gaza and insisted that halting their activities would not impact humanitarian assistance flows.
Humanitarian groups and Palestinian officials strongly reject this claim, warning that any disruption further compounds an already engineered crisis.
Doctors Without Borders Among Targeted Organizations
The report confirmed that a joint Israeli government committee, led by the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs, issued official notices to several organizations informing them of the revocation of their operating licenses.
Among those notified was Doctors Without Borders, one of the most prominent medical aid providers operating in Gaza.
Under the notifications, the permit cancellations take effect on 1 January, with organizations granted until 1 March to wind down their field operations.
Warnings of Escalating Humanitarian Collapse
Palestinian and international bodies have issued urgent warnings that the Israeli decision will accelerate the collapse of humanitarian conditions in Gaza, where widespread destruction, severe shortages of food and medicine, and ongoing military attacks have already pushed the population to the brink.
Gaza is currently home to approximately 1.5 million internally displaced Palestinians out of a total population of around 2.4 million, all living under a comprehensive blockade imposed by Israel for more than 18 years.
Israeli authorities continue to severely restrict the entry of food, medical supplies, shelter materials, and essential aid into the territory.
Ceasefire Violations and Rising Death Toll
The revocation of aid permits constitutes a clear violation of the ceasefire agreement in force since 10 October, according to Palestinian officials.
Despite the agreement, Israeli occupation forces have continued daily airstrikes and attacks across the Gaza Strip, killing at least 418 Palestinians and injuring 1,171 others, based on data from Gaza’s Ministry of Health.
Aid Restrictions Seen as Tool of Collective Punishment
Human rights organizations describe the targeting of international aid groups as part of Israel’s broader strategy of collective punishment against the Palestinian population, aimed at weakening civilian resilience and forcing political outcomes through starvation and deprivation.
With continued diplomatic and military backing from the United States, Israel has faced no meaningful accountability for actions that legal experts warn may amount to grave breaches of international humanitarian law. (PW)