Israel to Suspend Doctors Without Borders and Other Humanitarian Groups in Gaza in 2026
JERUSALEM — Israel announced Tuesday that it will halt operations of more than two dozen humanitarian organizations in the Gaza Strip starting Jan. 1, 2026, including the renowned medical charity Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières). The decision comes as part of new regulations requiring international aid groups to submit detailed information about their staff, funding and operations — requirements Israel says many groups failed to meet.
The Ministry of Diaspora Affairs confirmed that around 25 humanitarian organizations, roughly 15 % of those active in Gaza, will not have their permits renewed because they did not fully comply with the new vetting rules. Israel has accused some organizations of not clarifying the roles of staff that it claims had links with Hamas or other militant groups, allegations that have been strongly denied by the charities involved.
Doctors Without Borders — one of the largest medical relief groups supporting civilians in Gaza — did not immediately respond to requests for comment, but has previously said it takes accusations seriously and insists it would never knowingly employ anyone engaged in military activities.
International humanitarian organizations and rights advocates have criticised the move as arbitrary and potentially dangerous for aid workers, saying that stringent requirements could put staff at risk and severely limit life-saving assistance to the Palestinian territory. The groups argue that Gaza continues to face acute needs for medical care, food supplies and emergency support, even after a cease-fire was reached in October 2025 following years of conflict.
Under the new policy, offices in Israel and East Jerusalem that lose their permits will have to close, and groups will no longer be able to send international personnel into Gaza. Many organisations warn this could place even greater burdens on exhausted local staff who remain on the ground trying to deliver aid.
The Israeli government, however, says the policy is aimed at preventing the exploitation of humanitarian frameworks by militant groups, and insists that assistance will continue to enter Gaza through more than 20 permitted organisations. Officials claim that the groups losing their licences supply less than 1 % of current aid and that international humanitarian commitments under the October cease-fire remain intact.
Meanwhile, international diplomatic pressure is mounting, with several Western governments expressing concern about the consequences of restricting aid access to Gaza. Critics warn that suspending key international relief providers at a time when millions of civilians still rely on external support risks deepening suffering in a region already grappling with displacement, healthcare shortages and economic devastation.
