Reported from the source

Quick summary: Israel is set to revoke the licenses of 37 international aid organizations, including Doctors Without Borders, preventing them from operating in the Gaza Strip starting in early January. The move, which Israel attributes to violations of new review rules, comes amid a catastrophic humanitarian crisis in the territory.

Israel will prohibit numerous international aid organizations from operating in the Gaza Strip starting in early January, citing violations of new government rules. According to Israel’s Diaspora Ministry, 37 organizations are affected by the license revocation, which requires a review of international groups active in the territory. Among the affected is Doctors Without Borders (Ärzte ohne Grenzen), which Israel accuses of not sufficiently clarifying the roles of employees alleged to have cooperated with Hamas and other militant groups. While Israel states that these 37 organizations provide only a small portion of the total aid services in Gaza, Doctors Without Borders countered, stating it is “one of the largest medical organizations currently active in the Gaza Strip.” The decision comes as the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip remains catastrophic, despite a ceasefire in effect since October. The UN emergency aid office reports that over 80 percent of buildings in the coastal strip are either destroyed or damaged. Many residents are living in tent camps, exposed to winter weather, and facing severe shortages of food and medical supplies.

Source: www.tagesschau.de