International aid groups warned that new Israeli registration rules could prevent them from continuing humanitarian work in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Israel said the system was designed to stop hostile organizations from operating behind a humanitarian cover.
The Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism required organizations to avoid activity or criticism that “delegitimizes” Israel and to recognize it as a Jewish and democratic state. Aid groups said the procedures did not define delegitimization, leaving room for political interpretation.
Oxfam policy lead Bushra Khalidi said organizations feared that reporting aid obstruction or harm to staff could become grounds for refusing or cancelling registration. She argued that the criteria could restrict both physical access and independent public reporting about conditions in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Groups were also asked to submit details about employees and their relatives, including identity documents. Oxfam said that requirement conflicted with its duty of care because more than 500 humanitarian workers and relatives had been harmed during the war. The organization did not believe it could safely provide such data.
A United Nations-led Humanitarian Country Team representing UN agencies and more than 200 organizations said the regime endangered continued operations across the occupied territories. It called the standards vague, arbitrary and politicized and said some demands could not be met without violating legal duties or basic humanitarian principles.
Israel rejected the idea that genuine relief work was the target. The ministry said it sought to help legitimate organizations while excluding entities connected to terrorism, antisemitism, efforts to delegitimize Israel, persecution of Israeli soldiers, Holocaust denial or denial of the October 7 Hamas attacks. It did not answer specific questions about the effects on established aid agencies.
By the end of November, the ministry had received 100 registration applications and rejected 14. The remainder were approved or still under review, but it did not say how many fell into each group. Many organizations approached a December 31 deadline without knowing whether they could legally continue in the new year.
Doctors Without Borders was among those awaiting a decision. Its Gaza emergency coordinator said the group supported six public hospitals and operated two field hospitals. Losing access would remove medical, water and other services during winter, when displaced people lacked adequate shelter despite a ceasefire.
Save the Children was reportedly refused registration. The evidence packet did not provide the ministry’s case-specific reason or a complete list of rejected organizations.
The dispute concerns both security screening and humanitarian independence. Israel argues that registration protects the system from exploitation; aid organizations say undefined political standards and sensitive data demands compromise neutrality and safety.
With most housing and infrastructure in Gaza damaged or destroyed after two years of war, the administrative decision could have direct operational consequences. The immediate uncertainty was whether organizations still awaiting approval would retain staff access and permission to deliver services after January 1.
