Aid Groups Face Impossible Choice in Gaza

Oxfam refuses. Doctors Without Borders complies. 37 aid organizations have lost their licenses to operate in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem—all because they won't hand over detailed personal information about their Palestinian staff to Israeli authorities.

The standoff reveals a brutal calculus facing humanitarian groups: surrender sensitive employee data to a military that has killed more than 500 aid workers since October 2023, or lose access to 2.3 million Palestinians who depend on their life-saving assistance.

The New Rules

Israel's crackdown began in 2024 when the Ministry for Diaspora Affairs introduced what it calls "security and transparency standards." The requirements go far beyond typical registration procedures. Organizations must provide passport copies, detailed resumes, and even the names of Palestinian employees' family members, including their children.

The ministry reserves the right to reject any organization it suspects of "inciting racism," denying Israel's existence, or supporting "an armed struggle by an enemy state or terrorist organization." On January 1, 37 major aid groups—including the Norwegian Refugee Council, International Rescue Committee, and Oxfam—saw their licenses revoked for non-compliance.

Israel says 23 organizations have agreed to the new rules. The remainder face an agonizing choice between principles and access.

The Safety Dilemma

Oxfam drew a clear line. "We will not transfer sensitive personal data to a party to the conflict since this would breach humanitarian principles, duty of care and data protection obligations," a spokesperson told Al Jazeera. The organization cited the staggering toll: more than 500 humanitarian workers killed since the war began—making Gaza the deadliest place in the world for aid workers.

But Doctors Without Borders (MSF) took a different path, announcing it would share "a defined list of Palestinian and international staff names" while acknowledging Israel's demands as "unreasonable." The decision sparked fierce criticism from former employees and activists who argue that compliance could endanger Palestinian staff in a conflict where Israel has repeatedly targeted humanitarian facilities.

"What is humanitarianism under genocide?" asked a former MSF employee, speaking anonymously. "There must be alternatives—alternatives that demand a much bolder and more disruptive approach."

The Broader Context

The licensing controversy unfolds against a backdrop of unprecedented violence against aid workers. According to the International Rescue Committee, Palestinians represent nearly one-fifth of all aid workers killed globally since records began. In Gaza specifically, Israel has killed more than 400 people since a fragile ceasefire took effect in October 2025.

The Palestinian NGOs Network condemned organizations that complied with Israel's demands, calling the requirements a "clear violation of international humanitarian law" that poses a "direct threat" to local staff safety. The network's concern reflects a broader pattern: throughout the conflict, Palestinian aid workers have faced disproportionate targeting, raising questions about whether sharing their personal information with Israeli authorities amounts to signing their death warrants.

International Implications

The crisis extends beyond Gaza's borders. Donor governments—primarily in Europe and North America—fund many of these organizations but have remained largely silent as their partners face impossible choices. Some humanitarian law experts argue that complying with Israel's demands could set a dangerous precedent, potentially legitimizing similar requirements from other conflict parties worldwide.

The licensing dispute also highlights the weaponization of bureaucracy in modern warfare. By controlling access through administrative means rather than outright bans, Israel maintains plausible deniability while effectively limiting humanitarian operations in occupied territories.