Israel has banned dozens of international humanitarian organisations from entering and operating in Gaza under newly introduced rules, despite growing concerns over the worsening humanitarian situation in the region. Aid agencies say Gaza urgently needs more food, medicine, shelter, and medical supplies after nearly two years of war, but Israel is further restricting the entry of aid and international staff.

International aid organisations say the new restrictions will severely affect relief work in Gaza, where the population is already struggling to survive. According to the new Israeli regulations, at least 37 humanitarian groups will no longer be able to operate in Gaza as they have done for decades.

These include major international organisations such as Doctors Without Borders, also known as MSF, which runs hospital wards, clinics, and mental health programs in Gaza. Under the new rules, Israel is demanding that aid groups submit detailed lists of their staff members along with funding information.

MSF has raised serious concerns about this demand. The organisation says that sharing personal information about its workers could put their lives at risk. During the ongoing war, 15 Palestinian staff members working with MSF have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza.

MSF emergency coordinator Pascal Quasar said the organisation has repeatedly expressed its concerns to Israeli authorities. “We have expressed our concerns to the Israeli authorities about sharing the staff list because it is unclear, still, for us, what they are going to use it for,” Quasar said.

She added that MSF and other aid groups have been in discussions with Israeli officials for several months to understand how this personal information would be used. However, they have not received clear explanations. “The use of the personal data information for now is still unclear, and it has lacked transparency,” Quasar said.

The United Nations has reported that around 400 aid workers have been killed in Israeli attacks during the war. According to the U.N., many of these workers were directly targeted while carrying out humanitarian duties.

Israel has accused some aid workers of having links to Hamas. Israeli officials say the new requirements are meant to prevent the infiltration of what they describe as “terrorist operatives” into humanitarian aid operations. However, many aid organisations refused to comply with the new rules, leading Israel to cancel their permits.

As a result, several major aid groups are now banned from operating in Gaza. These include Oxfam, which provides clean water and desalination services; the Norwegian Refugee Council, which manages tents and shelter supplies; and Mercy Corps, which distributes food and essential aid. Many other organisations have also been affected.

These aid groups have also played an important role in documenting and reporting the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Their accounts have been critical, especially at a time when Israel continues to block international journalists from accessing Gaza independently.

Winter conditions are making the crisis even worse. Strong winds and heavy rain have flooded makeshift tents across Gaza. Many families lack proper shelter, and children have died due to the cold weather.

Israel has said that banning these aid organisations will not have a major impact. However, Gaza relies almost entirely on humanitarian aid for survival. A joint statement issued by 10 countries, including the United Kingdom, France, and Canada, warned that the decision could force the closure of one-third of healthcare facilities in Gaza. The countries described the move as unacceptable.

The humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate as aid access becomes more restricted, raising serious concerns among international organisations and governments worldwide.