Israeli Supreme Court to Consider Petition from Aid Groups Over Work Ban

37 International Aid Groups in Gaza and Occupied Territories Face Ban

The Israeli government has announced plans to halt life-saving operations by 37 international aid groups in the war-torn Gaza Strip, occupied West Bank, and East Jerusalem. The ban is set to take effect on March 1.

Seventeen of these organizations have petitioned Israel’s Supreme Court to allow them to continue their work in the affected areas. They claim that compliance with the Israeli orders would expose their Palestinian staff to potential retaliation, undermine humanitarian neutrality, and violate European data protection law.

The aid groups, including Oxfam International, Doctors Without Borders (MSF), and the Norwegian Refugee Council, have been notified by Israeli authorities that their work registrations had expired and must be renewed within 60 days. Failure to comply would result in the cessation of operations in Gaza and the occupied territories.

The organizations argue that providing personal details on their Palestinian staff could compromise their neutrality and put their employees at risk. They propose alternative solutions, such as “donor-audited vetting systems,” to address concerns about staff listings.

According to the United Nations, 133 NGO workers have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since October 2023. The aid groups warn that stopping their activities would lead to a “humanitarian collapse and irreparable harm” for hundreds of thousands of people in need.

The affected areas rely heavily on aid groups for essential services such as food, water, healthcare, shelter, and other necessities. The Israeli government’s decision has been described as having potentially devastating consequences for Palestinians.

Source: Al Jazeera