Israel's High Court of Justice has ordered international humanitarian organizations operating in Gaza and the West Bank to submit complete lists of their Palestinian employees within 30 days or cease operations, a ruling that aid groups warn could jeopardize staff safety and disrupt critical services to vulnerable populations. The decision, issued May 20, 2026, rejected a petition by AIDA, an umbrella organization representing 19 international non-governmental aid organizations, and upheld government registration requirements that mandate disclosure of all local staff members as part of the permit process.
Humanitarian Workers at Risk
Many of the affected NGOs, including Doctors Without Borders, have said sharing staff information could jeopardize staff safety, citing the number of aid worker deaths in Gaza. The court's ruling comes as humanitarian organizations face unprecedented dangers while delivering aid in conflict zones. Organizations that fail to submit the required documentation, including employee lists, will be required to cease operations in Gaza and the West Bank immediately after the 30-day deadline expires.
The court said the information requirement is a limited and proportionate security measure that derives from the state's duty to protect its security and the security of its residents while allowing humanitarian activity to continue, and said security screening falls within the core sovereign powers of the state. The government said the framework is a security-driven regulatory system designed to ensure humanitarian aid is delivered safely, transparently and without exploitation by terrorist organizations, and said it was based on fears that some Gaza-based NGOs have operational overlap with Hamas or other terror groups.
Registration Process Creates Bottleneck
The registration framework has already created significant barriers to humanitarian operations. As of March 2026, 129 registration applications had been submitted to the inter-ministerial team. Of those, only 30 were approved, while 19 were denied, 47 remained under review and 34 organizations had yet to begin the registration process. The procedure prohibits the operation of organizations linked to terrorism, incitement, delegitimization campaigns against Israel, Holocaust denial or denial of the October 7 massacre.
The petition followed Israel's request that the organizations provide lists of their local employees under its NGO registration and security screening procedures. The organizations refused and challenged the registration framework, arguing that the requirements would compromise their ability to operate safely and effectively in providing humanitarian assistance to civilian populations.
Government Officials Defend Decision
Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Minister Amichai Chikli welcomed the ruling, saying, "The rejection of the petition sends a clear and unequivocal message - the State of Israel will not allow terrorist activity to operate under the guise of humanitarian aid." Director General of the Ministry Avi Cohen-Scali said, "We will continue acting decisively to ensure that only legitimate and transparent organizations are permitted to participate in humanitarian operations in the region."
Why This Matters:
The court's decision places international humanitarian organizations in an impossible position: comply with registration requirements that they say endanger their staff, or abandon populations in Gaza and the West Bank who depend on emergency aid for survival. With only 30 of 129 applications approved as of March 2026, the registration process has already severely restricted humanitarian access at a time when civilian populations face acute needs. The requirement to disclose Palestinian employees' identities raises fundamental questions about the protection of humanitarian workers in conflict zones and whether security concerns can be balanced against the imperative to deliver lifesaving assistance. The potential cessation of operations by major international aid organizations could leave vulnerable communities without access to medical care, food assistance, and other essential services, deepening an already dire humanitarian situation.