Seventeen international humanitarian organizations have filed an urgent petition with Israel’s Supreme Court seeking to overturn a government order that would force them to cease operations in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem by next month. The controversial directive, issued in December, affects 37 NGOs including prominent groups like Oxfam International, Doctors Without Borders (MSF), and the Norwegian Refugee Council.
The legal challenge argues that Israel’s demand for comprehensive staff lists—including Palestinian and international personnel—creates unacceptable security risks for aid workers. Petitioners contend the ban demonstrates “extreme unreasonableness and lack of proportionality” and exceeds Israel’s jurisdictional authority in territories nominally under Palestinian Authority control.
Humanitarian organizations warn the March shutdown deadline would trigger catastrophic consequences for millions of Palestinians dependent on external assistance. In Gaza, where renewed strikes compound existing aid restrictions, and in the West Bank, where military operations and settler violence escalate needs, the termination of services would cause immediate humanitarian collapse.
The dispute highlights the deadly environment for aid workers in conflict zones. According to Human Rights Watch, 543 humanitarian personnel have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza since hostilities began. Investigations reveal multiple incidents of aid workers being targeted despite providing their coordinates to Israeli authorities, including a March 2023 incident where 15 paramedics were shot dead execution-style.
This latest ban follows Israel’s earlier termination of UNRWA operations, including the demolition of its East Jerusalem headquarters despite an International Court of Justice ruling ordering cooperation with UN humanitarian providers. Israeli authorities maintain the staff disclosure requirement is necessary to “rule out any links to terrorism,” but aid organizations remain unwilling to compromise staff security despite attempted negotiations.