Israel Imposes New Registration Requirements on International Aid Groups in Gaza and West Bank

"...Israel, having banned the United Nations aid agency for Palestinian refugees from sending aid and staff to Gaza, is now taking unprecedented steps to de-register major nongovernmental aid groups for ideological reasons, according to several officials of humanitarian organizations...."

"...They say the new rules threaten the ability of some of the biggest international nongovernmental organizations — known as INGOs — to send in aid or staff to both Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank...."

"...The ceasefire agreement in the Gaza war brokered this month by President Trump committed Israel to a surge in aid into Gaza, where food security experts declared famine in parts of the territory...."

"...But Israel continues to severely restrict crossings open for aid shipments and who can send aid through them...."

"...Of seven Israeli border crossings with Gaza, only two are currently open...."

"...Of those that are open, the U.N. and nongovernmental aid groups say many requests to enter Gaza are routinely rejected, without explanation...."

"...The Israeli military has claimed, without providing evidence, that its aid restrictions are needed for security...."

"...Israel had also demanded that organizations provide personnel details for all local and international staff, a measure rejected by most major aid groups as potentially putting staff in danger...."

"...The Israeli military arm responsible for borders and coordination with INGO operations did not respond to NPR's requests for comment on reasons for de-registering or delaying registration of some organizations...."

"...Many of those aid groups waiting to be re-registered have had hundreds of trucks waiting for months in Egypt and Jordan intended for Gaza...."

"...Humanitarian officials said at least one major U.S.-based NGO has already been de-registered and is now in the appeal process...."

"...The organization in question declined to discuss the issue with NPR...."

"...Another U.S.-based aid group, Mercy Corps, said following the ceasefire agreement, it had submitted a request to send in aid but it was denied by Israeli authorities because the organization was in the process of re-registering...."

"...Humanitarian officials said Israel has approved a dozen NGOs that do not coordinate within traditional U.N.-led structures and are either ideologically driven or have little experience in humanitarian aid or both...."

"...They include one U.S. aid group that partnered with the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation — a militarized aid response in which almost all other aid groups refused to participate...."

"...COGAT did not respond to a request for comment on new aid organizations given registration...."

"...At the same time, Israel continues to ban the U.N. agency for providing aid to Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA, from sending in aid or staff to Gaza...."

"...Israel accused UNRWA, without evidence, of employing hundreds of Hamas members, including some involved in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack in Israel...."

"...It has sought since the start of the Gaza war to replace the U.N. aid system that has provided humanitarian assistance there for decades...."

"...UNRWA, with 12,000 local staff, was the biggest humanitarian organization in Gaza, running shelters, mobile medical clinics, water and sanitation projects and schools...."

"...Israeli airstrikes have damaged or destroyed more than 90% of homes in Gaza and most of the civilian infrastructure, according to U.N. figures...."

"...The United States, which had been UNRWA's biggest donor, stopped its funding last year, which Alrifai says led to a loss of about one-quarter of UNRWA's total income...."

"...Alrifai says while European and other countries have increased their contributions, it does not fill the funding gap...."

"...The European Union's top humanitarian aid official said after the Israeli accusations against UNRWA he saw no evidence from Israel backing them...."

"...Alrifai says UNRWA was trying to start discussions with the U.S. through other countries about renewing the funding...."

"..."We have not had direct talks but we have passed on messages through other governments who are close to Gaza and close to the U.S." she says...."