Despite international criticism, Israel said on Thursday that 37 humanitarian organizations providing aid in Gaza would be prohibited from entering the region because they had failed to meet “security and transparency standards” by a deadline. The international non-governmental organizations that were previously mandated to reveal comprehensive details about their Palestinian employees will now have to shut down by March 1.
According to a statement from Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, organizations who have not complied with the necessary security and transparency standards will have their licenses suspended.
According to several NGOs, the requirements violate international humanitarian law or jeopardize their independence. According to Israel, the new rule is intended to stop organizations that it believes are aiding terrorists from conducting business in the Palestinian territory.
According to a government list, notable humanitarian organizations affected by the prohibition include Oxfam, World Vision International, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), and Doctors Without Borders (MSF). Israel accused MSF of having two workers who belonged to Hamas and Jihad, two Palestinian militant organizations.
This week, MSF stated that the request to divulge a list of its employees “may be in violation of Israel’s obligations under international humanitarian law” and that it “would never knowingly employ people engaging in military activity.
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