Israeli, Palestinian and international not-for-profit organisations (NGOs) and human rights organisations are calling on the Israeli government to immediately halt deregistration proceedings and remove measures obstructing humanitarian assistance to Palestine, as civilians face acute and worsening humanitarian needs.
On 30 December 2025, 37 international NGOs were formally notified that their registrations would expire on 31 December 2025, despite an ongoing ceasefire in Gaza and the scale of humanitarian need. The decision triggered a 60-day period after which international NGOs would be forced to cease operations in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
Among the organisations denied permit renewals are Doctors Without Borders (MSF), ActionAid, Oxfam and Caritas, all critical for delivering humanitarian aid.
Widespread opposition from civil society
The decision has prompted strong opposition from across Israeli, Palestinian and international civil society.
The Palestinian NGO Network (PNGO) has strongly condemned Israel’s actions, warning that restricting or suspending the work of international humanitarian organisations, particularly in Gaza, comes at a time of an unprecedented humanitarian and public health crisis for civilians.
In a joint statement, 53 international NGOs warned that Israel’s new registration measures will severely impede humanitarian action.
“This is not a technical or administrative matter, but a deliberate policy choice with foreseeable consequences,” the statement said. “If registrations are allowed to lapse, the Israeli government will obstruct humanitarian assistance at scale. Humanitarian access is not optional, conditional, or political.”
Nineteen Israeli human rights organisations echoed these concerns, stating that the new registration framework violates core humanitarian principles of independence and neutrality.
“Conditioning aid on political alignment, penalising support for legal accountability, and requiring disclosure of sensitive personal data of Palestinian staff and their families constitute a breach of duty of care and expose workers to surveillance and harm,” they said.
Calls for international action
The Australian Government has already joined international calls urging Israel to authorise all international NGO aid shipments and remove obstacles preventing humanitarian actors from operating. In a statement issued in August 2025, the government said that “immediate, permanent and concrete steps must be taken to facilitate safe, large-scale access for the UN, international NGOs and humanitarian partners.”
In a solidarity letter to one of the affected organisations, our partner organisation in Palestine, MA’AN Development Centre, stated that “the discriminatory registration procedures and demands for sensitive personal data are clearly designed to obstruct independent humanitarian action and undermine solidarity with Palestinians.”
MA’AN joins the calls for unity to resist these measures collectively. “It is also essential to intensify pressure on Western governments to fulfil their legal and moral responsibilities and oblige Israel to halt these discriminatory policies and respect international humanitarian law,” they added.
Human rights groups continue to warn that without urgent action, Israel’s measures risk further deepening an already catastrophic humanitarian crisis.
See statements:
53 International NGOs statement