Israel has moved to revoke the operating licenses of 37 international aid groups, a decision that threatens to paralyze critical relief efforts in Gaza and the occupied West Bank within two months.

The directive, which takes effect on January 1, targets global humanitarian heavyweights such as ActionAid, the International Rescue Committee (IRC), and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)—organizations that are also household names here in Kenya for their work in drought and refugee response. For the global humanitarian sector, this signals a drastic shift in how aid is regulated in conflict zones, raising fears that neutral relief work is becoming increasingly politicized.

A Diplomatic Firestorm

The suspension has triggered an immediate and sharp rebuke from the international community. Foreign ministers from 10 nations—including the UK, France, Japan, and Canada—issued a joint statement condemning the new regulations as both "restrictive" and "unacceptable."

These diplomats warned that the forced closure of these Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) would have a "severe impact on access to essential services including healthcare" in a region where the humanitarian situation is already described as catastrophic. The coalition called on the Israeli government to ensure that these groups could operate in a "sustained and predictable way," emphasizing that the current crisis demands more aid channels, not fewer.

The Dispute Over Data

At the heart of the revocation is a dispute over compliance and data privacy. Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs, which oversees these registrations, alleged that the affected groups failed to meet new regulatory requirements. Specifically, authorities claimed the organizations did not hand over "complete" personal details of their staff members.

This demand places NGOs in a precarious position. In conflict zones, handing over comprehensive staff lists to a belligerent party is often viewed as a security risk for local employees. However, the Israeli government maintained that the measures were necessary for security and oversight.

Aid Flow Concerns

Despite the suspensions, Israeli officials insisted that the flow of assistance would not be severed. The Ministry stated that aid would continue to be delivered through what it termed "approved and vetted channels."

According to Israeli authorities, these alternative routes include:

• United Nations agencies
• Direct bilateral partners
• Other humanitarian organizations that remain compliant

However, analysts note that the sheer scale of operations run by groups like the NRC and IRC is difficult to replace overnight. As the 60-day wind-down period begins, the focus now shifts to whether diplomatic pressure can reverse the decision before operations grind to a halt.