TNA Staff
The New Arab / March 16, 2025
The PNGO “strongly” condemned the Israeli government’s restrictions, calling it a “political tool” to control, restrict and silence advocacy for Palestinians.
Humanitarian groups have expressed concerns that the restrictions could force aid workers to suspend operations in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis [Getty]
A coalition of nearly 30 Palestinian NGOs has condemned Israel’s newly imposed restrictions on aid organisations, describing them as a political tool to control humanitarian operations and suppress advocacy for Palestinian rights.
The Palestinian NGOs Network (PNGO) strongly criticised the new measures, calling them an attempt to silence international organisations and isolate Palestinian civil society groups.
“These measures are not routine regulations — they are a political tool designed to control humanitarian operations, restrict civil society space, and silence international advocacy for Palestinian rights,” PNGO said in a statement.
The network added that the new process is not about regulation but rather “a mechanism to coerce INGOs into silence, limit their advocacy, and isolate Palestinian organisations from international partnerships”.
The restrictions, first reported by The Washington Post, grant Israeli authorities greater power to deny foreign NGOs registration in the occupied territories if their staff have previously criticised Israel, including support for political boycotts or legal action against Israeli soldiers.
Aid groups can also be denied registration if they refuse to acknowledge Israel as “a Jewish and democratic state”.
Under the new rules, international organisations are also required to submit detailed operational and financial information, including the identities of their Palestinian employees.
PNGO warned that this information could expose staff to harassment, movement restrictions, and prosecution while giving Israel the ability to “pick and choose” which organisations can remain active based on their political stance.
Humanitarian groups have expressed concerns that the restrictions could force aid workers to suspend operations in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.
The new restrictions are part of Israel’s broader strategy to restrict aid access to Gaza and limit humanitarian groups’ activities in the area.
Following the end of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire earlier this month, Israel imposed a blockade on aid entering the enclave, claiming it was intended to pressure Hamas into accepting the ceasefire deal.
The move has drawn widespread criticism from aid organisations, who warn it puts thousands of Palestinians at risk.
