Israel Suspends 25 Aid Groups in Gaza from January 1

JERUSALEM Israel announced on Tuesday that it will suspend operations of more than two dozen humanitarian organizations in Gaza, including the medical group Doctors Without Borders, effective January 1. The decision affects around 25 groups, representing about 15 percent of the nongovernmental organizations active in the territory, for not complying with new transparency requirements.

The Ministry of Diaspora Affairs stated that the organizations failed to provide detailed information on their staff, funding sources and operational activities as mandated by the updated vetting rules. These measures aim to screen international aid groups for potential ties to militant organizations. In particular, the ministry accused Doctors Without Borders, known internationally by its French acronym MSF and one of the largest health providers in Gaza, of not clarifying the roles of certain employees whom Israel has alleged to be cooperating with Hamas and other armed groups.

International aid organizations have criticized the requirements as overly broad and inconsistent, arguing that they could put field workers at greater risk by exposing sensitive operational details. MSF did not...