Israeli rules threaten Gaza aid groups with expulsion, MSF warns

The medical aid organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF) issued a stark warning on Monday, stating that new Israeli registration requirements for international NGOs could sever essential humanitarian services for Gaza's population next year. The rules threaten the legal status of groups like MSF from January 1, 2026, potentially barring them from operating in both Gaza and the West Bank.

Catastrophic consequences for healthcare

In a statement, MSF emphasized that losing independent humanitarian organizations would be "a disaster for Palestinians," given the already devastated state of Gaza's health infrastructure. The charity called on Israeli authorities to ensure INGOs can continue their impartial work, stressing that the "already restricted humanitarian response cannot be further dismantled."

Scale of MSF's current operations

Pascale Coissard, MSF's emergency coordinator for Gaza, outlined the group's massive operational footprint. In 2025 alone, MSF teams conducted nearly 800,000 outpatient consultations and treated over 100,000 trauma cases, while also delivering hundreds of millions of liters of water. The organization supports nearly half a million Gazans and seeks to expand its support for the shattered health system in 2026, contingent on registration approval.

Broader context of crisis

The warning comes amid a prolonged humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian enclave. Despite a ceasefire effective since October 10, reports indicate Israel has not allowed agreed-upon quantities of medical aid, deepening a health emergency. The conflict, which began in October 2023, has resulted in a high casualty toll, with Palestinian authorities reporting nearly 71,000 killed and over 171,000 injured.