Britain demands Israel reverse ban on aid groups in Gaza

Published: 31 December 2025
The English Chronicle Desk
The English Chronicle OnlineBritain demands Israel reverse ban on aid groups as the UK steps up diplomatic pressure over new restrictions that will prevent dozens of humanitarian organisations from operating in Gaza. The British government has condemned Israel’s decision to block 37 non-governmental organisations, including major international charities such as Oxfam and Doctors Without Borders (MSF), warning that the move risks deepening an already catastrophic humanitarian crisis in the enclave.

Under the new Israeli regulations, the affected organisations will be barred from delivering aid from Thursday unless they comply with stringent new registration requirements. By March 1, the NGOs will be forced to cease operations entirely unless they provide detailed information on all Palestinian staff members, including personal identification data, to Israeli authorities. Israeli officials say the measures are designed to prevent “hostile actors or supporters of terrorism” from operating under the cover of humanitarian work.

The UK has joined a group of Western governments in denouncing the policy. In a joint statement alongside Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Japan, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper described the restrictions as “unacceptable” and warned they would severely undermine the delivery of essential services in Gaza. The statement stressed that humanitarian organisations play a critical role in providing healthcare, food, shelter and water to civilians and that any attempt to curtail their operations would have grave consequences.

British officials argue that the scale of need in Gaza makes the continued presence of international aid agencies indispensable. According to the joint statement, without these organisations it would be impossible to meet urgent humanitarian needs, particularly as winter conditions worsen and hundreds of thousands of people remain displaced. The governments also warned that one in three healthcare facilities in Gaza could be forced to close if NGO operations are halted, further straining an already overwhelmed medical system.

Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Anti-Semitism has defended the decision, citing security concerns and accusing some organisations of failing to operate transparently. The ministry has alleged that employees of certain NGOs have links to Hamas and other militant groups, claims that have prompted the wider crackdown. Israeli officials insist that the new requirements are necessary to safeguard humanitarian activity from exploitation by terrorist elements.

A spokesperson for the ministry told international media that some organisations have refused to provide lists of Palestinian employees because they are aware that certain individuals may be involved in terrorism or linked to Hamas. Israel’s new rules require NGOs to submit passport details and personal identification numbers for both foreign and local staff, a demand that many organisations say raises serious concerns about staff safety and confidentiality.

Hamas has condemned the Israeli move, branding it “criminal behaviour” and accusing Israel of a blatant disregard for international humanitarian norms. The group said the ban represents a dangerous escalation that threatens the survival of Gaza’s civilian population. The United Nations has also expressed alarm, with the UN’s human rights chief Volker Türk describing the suspension of numerous aid agencies as “outrageous” and warning that it would make an intolerable situation even worse for people on the ground.

Among the organisations ordered to halt operations by March 1 are MSF, Oxfam, and the Danish and Norwegian Refugee Councils. MSF has rejected allegations that it employs individuals involved in militant activity, stating that it would never knowingly do so as it would endanger both staff and patients. The medical charity has repeatedly warned that blocking its work would deprive hundreds of thousands of people of access to medical care, clean water and life-saving assistance.

Israeli authorities, however, dispute the scale of the impact described by NGOs. The Co-ordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (Cogat), the Israeli defence ministry unit responsible for civilian coordination with Gaza, has said that some organisations have exaggerated their importance. Cogat claims that MSF operates only a small fraction of Gaza’s primary care clinics and field hospitals, with much of its work carried out by local employees.

Israel has also highlighted the volume of aid it says has entered Gaza this year, stating that more than 1.8 million tonnes of humanitarian supplies have been delivered, with thousands of aid trucks crossing into the territory each week. Officials argue that since the ceasefire in October, access for aid convoys has improved, helping to pull Gaza City out of famine conditions identified earlier by UN-backed food security monitors.

Despite these assertions, humanitarian agencies and Western governments maintain that conditions in Gaza remain dire. Many displaced families are living in makeshift tents in overcrowded camps, exposed to winter storms, flooding and shortages of basic supplies. Aid groups warn that additional bureaucratic barriers risk delaying or preventing assistance from reaching those most in need at a critical moment.

Oxfam has accused Israel of conducting a long-running campaign to marginalise and smear civil society organisations. A spokesperson for the charity said that large quantities of food, shelter materials and medical supplies remain blocked despite the ceasefire, due to new regulatory requirements imposed on humanitarian actors. While NGOs say they are willing to comply with legitimate registration processes, they argue that some demands compromise staff safety and violate legal obligations.

As diplomatic pressure mounts, Britain demands Israel reverse ban on aid groups and allow humanitarian organisations to continue their work without obstruction. UK officials have emphasised that protecting civilians and ensuring unimpeded humanitarian access are obligations under international law. With warnings growing that the situation in Gaza could deteriorate rapidly if aid is curtailed, the coming weeks are likely to see intensified scrutiny of Israel’s policy and further calls for it to be reconsidered.