Humanitarian Leaders Urge Israel to Revoke Planned Ban on International NGOs in Occupied Palestinian Territory.
New York:
The Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), representing the world’s leading humanitarian and human rights organizations, has urged Israeli authorities to reconsider their planned ban on several international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) operating in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), warning that such a move would have devastating consequences for vulnerable populations.
In a joint statement issued two days ago, humanitarian leaders stressed that international NGOs play a central and irreplaceable role in humanitarian operations across the OPT, collectively delivering nearly $1 billion in life-saving assistance each year. They cautioned that restricting or banning these organizations would severely undermine humanitarian response efforts, particularly in Gaza, where needs remain acute.
The statement highlighted that in Gaza, families continue to face extreme hardship as winter conditions intensify, high levels of acute food insecurity persist, and access to essential services remains limited. Humanitarian leaders warned that banning international NGOs at this critical juncture risks reversing the fragile progress achieved during the ceasefire, with devastating consequences for children, women and men who depend on humanitarian aid for survival.
“Humanitarian access is not optional, conditional or political,” the statement said, emphasizing that it is a legal obligation under international humanitarian law and fundamental to the protection of human rights. The leaders underscored that aid organizations must be allowed to operate freely and safely to reach people in need without obstruction.
The IASC called on Israeli authorities to revoke the planned ban and reaffirm their commitment to upholding international humanitarian and human rights law. The statement also stressed that limiting humanitarian operations would further exacerbate an already dire situation and increase suffering among civilians.
The appeal was signed by senior leaders of major United Nations agencies, international organizations and humanitarian networks, including UNICEF, WHO, WFP, UNHCR, UN Women, UNDP, OCHA, FAO, IOM, as well as leading international NGOs such as Oxfam, Save the Children, Mercy Corps and Caritas Internationalis.
The humanitarian leaders concluded by urging all parties to ensure that aid can continue to reach those in need, warning that any actions restricting humanitarian space would place countless lives at risk and deepen the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
