Gaza’s fragile humanitarian lifelines in Israel’s crosshairs
Submitted by
Ahmed Alsammak
on
Fri, 03/06/2026 - 12:12
Israeli plan to ban dozens of critical aid groups leaves Palestinians with limited options for survival
A Palestinian woman prepares a meal for the fast-breaking meal during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, in Nuseirat Refugee Camp, in the central Gaza Strip on 26 February 2026 (AFP)
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In a battered house, patched together after being damaged by Israeli bombing during the last war on Gaza, Tasneem stood by candlelight, cooking beans for her children's Ramadan dinner.
Like most Gazans, Tasneem receives food and financial aid from non-profit organisations, including various staples such as beans, lentils, flour, and other essential items.
"One food box is enough for me for almost a month," she told Middle East Eye as she broke her fast with her husband and three children.
"It's our main source of food. My husband lost his job because of the war."
Poverty in Gaza has reached 81.5 percent after Israel's genocidal war devastated infrastructure, farmland and factories, leaving the strip in unlivable conditions.
In January, 37 NGOs, including Doctors Without Borders, Save the Children, Oxfam, and the Norwegian Refugee Council, received official notice from the Israeli government that their licences could be suspended in March due to "security and transparency requirements".
After a petition by 17 aid agencies against the ban, Israel’s Supreme Court issued a temporary injunction allowing the NGOs to continue most of their activities.
However, families and patients who rely entirely on these organisations remain deeply concerned.
"Almost everyone who is displaced and lives in a tent is fully dependent on NGOs for food, medicine, and healthcare. Some food boxes contain everything and are worth hundreds of dollars," said Tasneem.
"We can’t afford fish, fruits, and many other things, but all of them are in the food boxes, especially from Oxfam."
The last nail in the coffin
Not far from Tasneem, Mohammed Alasdoudi, who was shot by an Israeli sniper in 2018 and had to undergo repeated amputations, most recently during the genocide, relies entirely on MSF for rehabilitation.
"After my injury, I spent more time in MSF’s clinics than in my own home," said the 39-year-old father. "If MSF stops its operations, it will be the last nail in the coffin of patients. They are the best in Gaza, far better than local hospitals. They provide us with very expensive medications that are unavailable for free in Gaza."
'Almost everyone who is displaced and lives in a tent is fully dependent on NGOs for food, medicine, and healthcare'
- Tasneem, displaced person
Additionally, MSF operates 15 health centres and clinics in accessible locations, allowing amputees to reach them easily.
"The governmental clinic for amputees is far away, and reaching it is extremely exhausting as there are no taxis or transportation," he said.
MSF said in a statement that “the Israeli authorities continue to heavily restrict and even deny water, shelter and medical care. Living conditions are maintained at undignified levels, and violence continues to kill and injure Palestinians on a daily basis. In recent weeks, humanitarian aid reaching Gaza has significantly decreased.”
Last year, MSF supported one in five hospital beds in Gaza, assisted with one in three births, conducted 913,284 outpatient consultations, and distributed over 700 million litres of water.
In January, MSF provided 83,579 outpatient consultations, treated 40,646 emergency cases, and cared for 5,981 trauma patients.
MSF’s Gaza emergency coordinator, Claire Nicolet, told MEE that they have 1,200 Palestinian staff in Gaza and run highly specialised clinics, particularly a burn clinic, which "obviously cannot easily be replaced". She said that 26 international colleagues had already left Gaza due to the Israeli decision to suspend NGO licences.
Israeli restrictions on supplies have already affected MSF operations, threatening the delivery of essential materials.
"Fortunately, we still have some supplies, but gradually they will run out. If we don’t find a solution to bring them in, we honestly will not be able to continue operating," Nicolet said.
'Layer of witnesses being removed'
Nicolet noted that the restrictions also leave fewer witnesses on the ground to report the situation.
"As you can see, I am the one talking to the media and explaining what we observed on the ground… international journalists cannot access Gaza, and Palestinian journalists are very much under [Israeli] attacks. It means there’s even one more layer of witnesses being removed from the Gaza Strip," she said.
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Yahya Muhareb, a lawyer specialising in international humanitarian law, said suspending 37 international organisations in Palestine violates Israel’s obligations as an occupying power.
He noted that international law requires occupying forces to facilitate humanitarian aid and ensure civilians can live in dignity without obstruction.
The lawyer added that the restrictions violate Articles 55 and 59 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, Articles 70 and 71 of Additional Protocol I, and the 2024 provisional measures issued by the International Court of Justice, which called on Israel to guarantee the unhindered flow of aid into Gaza.
"These actions are directly linked to the ongoing genocide against civilians in Gaza. This includes systematic obstruction and hostility toward Unrwa and other key humanitarian groups, worsening an already dire humanitarian catastrophe caused by the Israeli occupation's restrictive measures," Muhareb said.
A former employee of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) who worked in Gaza during the genocide said the organisation provided crucial assistance.
The NRC sheltered and financially supported displaced families, supplied tents for those forced to flee, helped residents recover lost legal documents, distributed food and educational services, and provided drinking water in areas without access.
The employee, who asked to remain anonymous for safety reasons, emphasised that “the council had absolutely no involvement in any political activities”.
Despite the October ceasefire, Israel continues to impose obstacles to the entry of essential goods into Gaza, including fuel, electrical appliances, and other necessities, alongside repeated bombings and near-daily gunfire targeting civilians near the so-called “yellow line” dividing the Gaza Strip.
"We don't trust Israel; it may resume the war or close the crossing at any time… if the aid stops, how are people supposed to survive?" Tasneem said.
Israel's genocide in Gaza
Gaza, occupied Palestine
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