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Israel to bar 37 aid groups as UK and EU warn of severe impact in Gaza

(109 Posts)
Wyllow3 Thu 01-Jan-26 08:19:14

I have felt that I - and the world - seems to have forgotten the plight of those in Gaza.

I want to bring them into the light and hope that somehow the forgotten are remembered and there can be some resolution.

But this latest action fills me with horror.

For god's sake, they are intending to ban Medicin Sans Frontiere amongst the groups. of all the internationally respected groups they have to be one of the most significant and they do not "play politics".

"Israel is to revoke the licences of 37 international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) working in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, saying they failed to meet requirements under new registration rules.

ActionAid, International Rescue Committee, Médecins Sans Frontières and Norwegian Refugee Council are among the aid agencies which will have their licences suspended on 1 January, with their operations to end within 60 days.

Israel said they had, among other things, failed to hand over "complete" personal details of their staff.

The INGOs said that could put them at risk.

The move was condemned by 10 countries, which said the rules would have a severe impact on access to essential services.
In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of the UK, France, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Japan, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland said INGOs were integral to the humanitarian response in Gaza and that any attempt to stem their ability to operate was "unacceptable".

The Humanitarian Country Team of the Occupied Palestinian Territory - a forum that brings together UN agencies and more than 200 local and international NGOs - urged the Israeli authorities to reconsider the registration decisions.

It has said INGOs run or support most of Gaza's field hospitals and primary healthcare centres, emergency shelter responses, water and sanitation services, nutrition stabilisation centres for children with acute malnutrition, and critical mine action activities

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1evp7weyv2o

btw, before someone slams the BBC for doing this as pro Palestinian as per ususal,

it has appeared in many newspapers - I've checked - but are behind a paywall, otherwise I would give you references

Whitewavemark2 Thu 01-Jan-26 17:11:29

Oreo

So? UNRA knew plenty about these individuals and chose to sack nine of them ….it found something alright.

That is not correct though is it.

The UN investigated, and found that 9 workers possibly had connections to Hamas. But no definitive evidence was found.

With regard to Israel’s demands over individual workers details.

We know that this is illegal, but also, as Israel has no sovereign right over Gaza, it makes its demands even more ridiculous.

Oreo Thu 01-Jan-26 17:13:10

Hardly ridiculous as it’s in the position to demand anything it wants of charity organisations.

Oreo Thu 01-Jan-26 17:14:02

The UN finding what it did, then sacking them speaks volumes.

Whitewavemark2 Thu 01-Jan-26 17:14:27

Yes if it totally ignores international law.

Israel is, as I said a pariah state.

Oreo Thu 01-Jan-26 17:18:21

It doesn’t care what you or anybody else thinks, it’s at war and has many enemies.

silverlining48 Thu 01-Jan-26 17:26:39

It is neither right nor justifiable to provide personal details of aid workers to Israel authorities.
Why is Israel still active in Gaza anyway? Why have they commandeered even more Gazan land with their ‘yellow line’? They provide no aid to the population yet are still killing Gazans , 400 plus since the so called ‘ceasefire’.
We have all seen the dreadful situation of how the people live, anyone with compassion would want to help, which is what the aid agencies do, given the chance.

Oreo Thu 01-Jan-26 17:27:51

There are many aid organisations already in Gaza.

Wyllow3 Thu 01-Jan-26 17:38:53

So what?

AGAA4 Thu 01-Jan-26 20:05:37

Medical Aid for Palestinians says it will carry on giving aid in Gaza despite deregistration by Israel.

They say that deregistering humanitarian agencies is a clear and grave violation of its obligations as an occupying power under humanitarian law.
Under international law Israel is required to facilitate rapid and unimpeded humanitarian assistance not obstruct, politicise or criminalise it.
Hope more organisations will stand up.to Israel.

Anniebach Thu 01-Jan-26 20:07:22

Israel accuses employees of UN being involved with the attack on Israel 7th October 2023.by Hamas. UN investigates , doesn’t find any evidence of guilt but dismisses 9 workers

Israel is a pariah state,but thankfully we can trust Hamas with their numbers of dead , numbers of children starving !

Maremia Thu 01-Jan-26 22:21:59

Very brave of Medical Aid for Palestinians.

silverlining48 Thu 01-Jan-26 22:26:16

Right both times, Israel is a pariah state and Hamas numbers of dead are accepted internationally as being as accurate as is possible given Israel refuses to allow independent verification.

Eloethan Fri 02-Jan-26 06:49:40

The world has stood by and watched a genocide take place. Now that Palestine is just a heap of rubble, there is virtually no news as to the plight of those remaining there. This is, in my opinion, censorship and it has destroyed my faith in all of our broadcasting outlets.

While many countries have criticised Israel, there have been virtually no concrete steps taken to put the sort of pressure on Israel that will materially affect it.

Oreo Fri 02-Jan-26 07:36:27

Do you wonder why that is Eloethan ? Maybe because the government there two years ago invaded and massacred over a thousand people and took two hundred hostage? That other countries have zero sympathy for a bunch of murdering extremists who’s followers already make life difficult in so very many countries around the globe including the UK.
Even the Muslim countries surrounding Israel regard these groups as a scourge.

hoomee29 Fri 02-Jan-26 07:55:22

It's too easy to join the righteous anger brigade from our comfortable and safe viewpoint. Hamas and related groups have been lobbing missiles and attacking them for years. October 7th proved too harrowing and horrifying to try and reach consensus or ask nicely.
Hamas is happy to see their compatriots dead and suffering because it stirs up people like us. Please try and achieve some sort of balance. It is insoluble as things stand but "standing with the Palestinian people" means nothing but smug satisfaction for those removed from the conflict.
And don't forget that the West with the approval of the UN agreed to give those lands to the Jews. Read John Le Carre's "The Little Drummer Girl" for a balanced understanding of both sides.

Oreo Fri 02-Jan-26 07:58:56

hoomiee29 exactly 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Maremia Fri 02-Jan-26 08:51:26

The Telegraph this morning has a headline saying that the British Government does not agree with Israel banning those aid organisations.
I can see only the headline, but if you subscribe you will he able to read the whole article.

Fallingstar Fri 02-Jan-26 10:16:47

hoomee29

It's too easy to join the righteous anger brigade from our comfortable and safe viewpoint. Hamas and related groups have been lobbing missiles and attacking them for years. October 7th proved too harrowing and horrifying to try and reach consensus or ask nicely.
Hamas is happy to see their compatriots dead and suffering because it stirs up people like us. Please try and achieve some sort of balance. It is insoluble as things stand but "standing with the Palestinian people" means nothing but smug satisfaction for those removed from the conflict.
And don't forget that the West with the approval of the UN agreed to give those lands to the Jews. Read John Le Carre's "The Little Drummer Girl" for a balanced understanding of both sides.

I understand there are two sides to this problem, and have no sympathy for Islamic extremists whatever group they represent, and am not at all unhappy about the Jewish people being given a homeland - well I wouldn’t because I have skin in the game - but heinous acts of terrorism do not occur in a vacuum, those levels of rage are not coming out of nowhere, and just as I feel glad that the Jewish people were given a homeland I feel equally sad that this led to the oppression and massacres of Palestinian people over many decades. History has a list as long as your arm of peoples who became so enraged by oppression and persecution that they rose up and committed heinous acts. If peace is to stand a chance we need to look at how we got here and what we can do to repair the damage done on both sides. And as I have said before Israel is the first world power holding all the cards right now so the onus is on Israel to lead the way with this and on the US as well as all western allies.
Not all Palestinians are Islamic extremists and not all Israelis are land grabbing megalomaniacs, so it is these moderate voices we need to listen to.

Anniebach Fri 02-Jan-26 11:27:00

Fallingstar What oppressions caused the Holocaust ?

AGAA4 Fri 02-Jan-26 11:32:24

Good post Fallingstar

25Avalon Fri 02-Jan-26 11:45:41

Presumably the British Red Cross and Palestine Red Crescent are on the approved list. They do sterling work in accordance with The Geneva Convention and uphold those principles including impartiality.

Wyllow3 Fri 02-Jan-26 11:52:13

I think its more than timely to move this thread on if wanted with a summary of the situation in Gaza and any peace possibilities published by the neutral Human Rights Research Center.

Dated December 29th 2025 so just days ago

www.humanrightsresearch.org/post/with-second-stage-of-peace-deal-on-the-horizon-the-israel-hamas-ceasefire-is-increasingly-fragile

It needs detailed reading, but gives news of very current attacks on Gazans and the stated ambition of those within the regime to actually build Israeli settlements in Gaza

400 people in Gaza have been killed since the "peace". of course its better to have the peace than what has gone before, but what will the outcomes be for further talks?

A day before the explosion in the Rafah al-Janina neighbourhood, in the settlement of Beit El in the West Bank, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated, “We are deep inside Gaza and we will never leave Gaza,” and indicated the possibility of building Israeli settlements in northern Gaza

These compounding crises have only further aggravated the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the strip, which is continuing to place pressure on the already stretched beyond capacity healthcare system, as well as humanitarian and operations

This second phase, which is intended to begin in January 2026, involves both the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the progressive demilitarization of Hamas and other militant groups in the enclave. However, the ambiguity in the descriptions of the duties of this phase has led to a stalemate. For example, Hamas has stated they will only turn over their arms once a Palestinian state has been established and control of the territory is granted back to the Palestinians, which Israel has unequivocally said it will not allow

So the current regime response is to try and curb more aid organisations as well as speculating about settling in Gaza?

Meanwhile, much trouble within Israel, that we are not hearing about - resolving the issue of those refusing conscription

www.instagram.com/reel/DSoqsfXjUOV/

And large anti Netanyahu demonstrations in December:

See the Times of Israel for all the details of the demonstration in the picture

www.timesofisrael.com/thousands-set-to-rally-against-netanyahu-and-qatargate-treason-in-weekly-protests/

Anniebach Fri 02-Jan-26 12:02:13

Wyllow you have links explaining what ‘ land grabbing extremists’ caused the Holocaust ? Too important to move on from surely, what caused the deaths of millions which caused the cry from the world * never again *

Wyllow3 Fri 02-Jan-26 12:08:38

hoomee29

It's too easy to join the righteous anger brigade from our comfortable and safe viewpoint. Hamas and related groups have been lobbing missiles and attacking them for years. October 7th proved too harrowing and horrifying to try and reach consensus or ask nicely.
Hamas is happy to see their compatriots dead and suffering because it stirs up people like us. Please try and achieve some sort of balance. It is insoluble as things stand but "standing with the Palestinian people" means nothing but smug satisfaction for those removed from the conflict.
And don't forget that the West with the approval of the UN agreed to give those lands to the Jews. Read John Le Carre's "The Little Drummer Girl" for a balanced understanding of both sides.

Are you seriously suggesting that a work of fiction written in 1983, written 46 years ago, however good, is a valuable reference point to discuss the current conflict?

Wyllow3 Fri 02-Jan-26 12:12:23

Annie, you know very well that I fully support the State of Israel's right to exist and the reasons for it as long as they remained within th borders drown up in 1948.

In early discussion on Gaza I made that absolutely clear as I did my own family's actually seriously involved in re-settling jewish refugees coning to the UK - my Dad fought Mosely and crew in Cable Street alongside Jewish comrades?

So leave those personal references and attempt to provoke out in future please.