Gaza aid groups face ban as 10 nations sound alarm

GAZA CITY

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached a critical juncture as Israel announced plans to suspend several international aid organizations starting in January, even as a coalition of ten nations warned of "catastrophic" conditions facing civilians this winter.

Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism confirmed on Dec. 30 it would revoke the licenses of several NGOs on Jan. 1 for failing to provide detailed lists of their Palestinian staff. The ministry cited security concerns, specifically accusing two employees of the medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) of having ties to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

According to the ministry, these measures are part of a framework to "strengthen and update" regulations. While approximately 100 registration requests have been submitted, the ministry noted that less than 15 percent of organizations were found in violation.

In response, MSF said it has not yet received a formal decision on their re-registration and emphasized that they "would never knowingly employ people engaging in military activity," as it would endanger both staff and patients.

The Israeli move comes amid sharp criticism from the foreign ministers of ten countries — including Britain, Canada, France, Japan and Switzerland. In a joint statement, the group described the situation in Gaza as "catastrophic."

The ministers urged Israel to ensure that NGOs can operate in a "sustained and predictable" way and called for the lifting of "unreasonable restrictions" on dual-use items like medical and shelter equipment.

A significant discrepancy remains regarding the volume of aid entering the territory. While the October ceasefire agreement aimed for 600 trucks per day, NGOs and the United Nations report that only 100 to 300 are currently crossing.

The ten-nation coalition argued that the 600-truck target should be a "floor, not a ceiling," noting that bureaucratic hurdles and customs screenings continue to cause significant delays.

The escalating tension comes a day after U.S. President Donald Trump, standing alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Florida, warned Hamas there would be "hell to pay" if the group fails to disarm.

Trump expressed hope that "reconstruction" could begin soon, with reports suggesting an interim government plan may be announced in January.

The EU also warned yesterday that Israel's threat to suspend several aid groups in Gaza would block "life-saving" assistance from reaching the population.

"The EU has been clear: the NGO registration law can not be implemented in its current form," EU humanitarian chief Hadja Lahbib posted on X.

"IHL [international humanitarian law] leaves no room for doubt: aid must reach those in need."

Meanwhile, the Israeli military said its troops shot dead a man who tried to run over a group of soldiers in the occupied West Bank on Dec. 30.

The Palestinian Red Crescent said it rescued three people after the Israeli army opened fire near Einabus on a vehicle with Palestinian licence plates.

"Two of the wounded were shot, and one of them is in critical condition. The third was injured as a result of being beaten," the Red Crescent said.

The Palestinian civil affairs authority named the man as 20-year-old Qais Sami Jaser Allan, adding that he "was shot by the occupation forces between the towns of Einabus and Awarta."