TEL AVIV
Israel imposes stricter rules on aid groups
Israel is set to enforce new and extensive visa and registration rules for international aid organizations operating in Palestinian territories, according to several media reports.
The regulations have granted officials broad authority to reject NGO registrations based on various criteria, including whether the organization or its employees have ever advocated for a boycott of Israel, denied its identity as a "Jewish and democratic state" or supported legal action against Israeli citizens in international courts for actions taken during military or security service.
Aid groups are particularly concerned about a requirement to submit the names, contact details and identification numbers of Palestinian staff. While Israeli authorities argued that this is necessary for security screenings, humanitarian organizations fear it could endanger their employees, especially given the high number of aid workers—mostly Palestinians—killed during the war in Gaza.
Additionally, reports suggested that since early February, around half of the doctors with preliminary WHO approval to enter Gaza were denied entry at the last minute.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently ordered a halt to all food, fuel and other supplies into Gaza, aiming to pressure Hamas into releasing hostages after the March 1 ceasefire expired.
The premier also directed his negotiating team to prepare for renewed hostage-ceasefire talks based on U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff’s proposal that seeks the immediate release of 11 living hıstages and half of the bodies still being held by Hamas in Gaza.
The decision was made following a ministerial meeting in Jerusalem, and amid an apparent impasse in negotiations in Doha.
Witkoff, meanwhile, accused Hamas of stalling negotiations by demanding “impractical” conditions for an extended truce.
“Unfortunately, Hamas has chosen to respond by publicly claiming flexibility while privately making demands that are entirely impractical without a permanent ceasefire,” Witkoff said. “Hamas is making a very bad bet that time is on its side. It is not.”
The developments came amid the killing of at least nine people in an Israeli strike in the northern Gaza Strip, making it the deadliest incident since a ceasefire went into effect in January.