Israel has decided to prohibit Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) from operating within the Gaza Strip following the charity’s refusal to comply with an Israeli order demanding submission of its personnel lists, according to reports Friday.
The Israeli Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism confirmed the termination of MSF activities, citing the organization’s failure to meet registration requirements applicable to all humanitarian organizations operating in the area.
MSF maintained that sharing confidential staff information required clear parameters ensuring the data would only be used for administrative purposes and would not endanger colleagues on the ground. The organization stated that repeated efforts to secure these assurances with Israeli authorities proved unsuccessful.
This directive follows a broader Israeli mandate issued on December 30, which required 37 international non-governmental organizations to submit detailed information on their workers within 60 days. Israel claimed this measure was necessary to prevent potential infiltration by operatives linked to Hamas or Islamic Jihad.
MSF characterized the Israeli action as a pretext designed to obstruct essential humanitarian assistance in the densely populated territory. The charity noted that Israeli authorities were forcing a choice between staff exposure to risk or interrupting critical medical care for civilians.
International reaction to the broader registration rules has been critical, with 10 nations, including France and Canada, warning the restrictions would severely impact access to necessary services. The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) also projected major negative consequences for healthcare delivery inside Gaza.
MSF reported that 15 of its own staff members have been killed during the conflict, underscoring the inherent dangers faced by medical personnel. Before this ban, MSF reportedly provided approximately 20% of hospital bed capacity in Gaza and conducted over 800,000 medical consultations last year.
