Israeli occupation’s suspension of relief organisations in Gaza is a 'Dangerous Escalation': Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor:

Geneva: The Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor has confirmed that the Israeli occupation authorities' decision to halt the operations of dozens of major international relief organisations working in the occupied Palestinian territory, specifically in the Gaza Strip, constitutes a ‘dangerous escalation’ intended to terminate the humanitarian response and sever life-saving support pathways.

The monitor stated in its report that this decision mandates the non-renewal of work permits for 37 international humanitarian organisations operating in the Gaza Strip, effectively ceasing their activities as of the beginning of 2026 under the pretext of non-compliance with new, unjust, and non-objective registration conditions imposed by the occupation authorities.

The monitor pointed out that these conditions contradict the provisions of international law and violate the obligation to allow and facilitate the rapid and unimpeded access of relief to civilians in the Gaza Strip. Such measures accelerate the collapse of the remaining health and relief systems and deepen the dimensions of the crime of genocide by deliberately creating living conditions that lead to the physical destruction of the population as a group and push them toward forced displacement.

The Israeli decision targets the most prominent international humanitarian organisations that form the backbone of the humanitarian response in Gaza, noting that the cessation of their work will lead to widespread paralysis in irreplaceable sectors, including emergency healthcare, water and sanitation services, emergency shelter, psychological support, child malnutrition treatments, and explosive hazard removal activities, among others.

Euro-Med Monitor called on the international community to transition from statements of concern to concrete executive measures that put an end to the ongoing gross violations in the Gaza Strip. It urged for a binding international movement to affirm the illegality of the Israeli occupation’s decision regarding the non-renewal of licenses for international humanitarian organisations and to declare it null and void due to its violation of International Humanitarian Law and the binding provisional measures issued by the International Court of Justice.

Furthermore, the monitor emphasised that the decision infringes upon the mandate of the United Nations and its partners in organising and coordinating the humanitarian response, requiring that the occupation authorities be compelled to cancel it immediately and ensure the rapid, sufficient, and regular delivery of aid and basic services while lifting restrictions that hinder the independence and work of humanitarian organisations.