Rights
Monitor: Israeli Occupation’s Suspension of Relief Organizations in Gaza is a
“Dangerous Escalation”

Geneva, 1 Jan 2026 (ONA) — The Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor has confirmed that
the Israeli occupation authorities’ decision to halt the operations of dozens
of major international relief organizations working in the occupied Palestinian
territory, specifically in the Gaza Strip, constitutes a ‘dangerous escalation’
intended to terminate the humanitarian response and sever life-saving support
pathways.

The
monitor stated in its report that this decision mandates the non-renewal of
work permits for 37 international humanitarian organizations operating in the
Gaza Strip, effectively ceasing their activities as of the beginning of 2026
under the pretext of non-compliance with new, unjust, and non-objective
registration conditions imposed by the occupation authorities.

The
monitor pointed out that these conditions contradict the provisions of
international law and violate the obligation to allow and facilitate the rapid
and unimpeded access of relief to civilians in the Gaza Strip. Such measures
accelerate the collapse of the remaining health and relief systems and deepen
the dimensions of the crime of genocide by deliberately creating living
conditions that lead to the physical destruction of the population as a group
and push them toward forced displacement.

The
Israeli decision targets the most prominent international humanitarian
organizations that form the backbone of the humanitarian response in Gaza,
noting that the cessation of their work will lead to widespread paralysis in
irreplaceable sectors, including emergency healthcare, water and sanitation
services, emergency shelter, psychological support, child malnutrition
treatments, and explosive hazard removal activities, among others.

Euro-Med
Monitor called on the international community to transition from statements of
concern to concrete executive measures that put an end to the ongoing gross
violations in the Gaza Strip. It urged for a binding international movement to
affirm the illegality of the Israeli occupation’s decision regarding the
non-renewal of licenses for international humanitarian organizations and to
declare it null and void due to its violation of International Humanitarian Law
and the binding provisional measures issued by the International Court of
Justice. Furthermore, the monitor emphasized that the decision infringes upon
the mandate of the United Nations and its partners in organizing and
coordinating the humanitarian response, requiring that the occupation
authorities be compelled to cancel it immediately and ensure the rapid,
sufficient, and regular delivery of aid and basic services while lifting
restrictions that hinder the independence and work of humanitarian
organizations.

—Ends/AG