Israel has announced it will bar dozens of aid organisations from operating in Gaza within 36 hours after they supposedly failed to comply with new rules requiring the disclosure of detailed staff information.
The ban affects major humanitarian groups, including Médecins Sans Frontières, ActionAid and the International Rescue Committee, and comes as severe winter storms worsen Gaza’s already dire humanitarian conditions.
Foreign ministers from 10 countries warned that the situation is “catastrophic,” citing widespread shelter shortages, damaged health facilities and the collapse of sanitation systems that have left hundreds of thousands at risk.
They urged Israel to lift what they called unreasonable restrictions on aid imports, open border crossings, and significantly increase the flow of humanitarian supplies into the territory.
Predictably Israeli officials said the measures are necessary for security and transparency, claiming some organisations refused to provide staff lists and alleging militant links among certain employees, allegations MSF strongly denies.
Israel maintains that the suspensions will not reduce overall aid volumes, arguing that the affected organisations contributed only a small share of assistance and had not delivered aid since the ceasefire began in October.
PHOTO: MSF
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