Israeli suspension of aid groups 'renders life unbearable,' violates international law: UN experts

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) - UN experts on Thursday said that Israel’s suspension of dozens of associations operating in the occupied Palestinian territory constitutes a "flagrant violation" of international law, and "renders life unbearable."

"By blocking aid, Israel is worsening life-threatening conditions, and heightens potential criminal responsibility for its leaders," the experts said in a statement.

They said that banning life-saving organizations from operating in Gaza marks "a new phase in a policy that renders life unbearable for a population already devastated by genocide," warning that it would create conditions forcing Palestinians into "chronic deprivation and threatening their survival as a group and further violating the Genocide Convention – it must be stopped."

The experts were referring to a regulation announced by Israel on Dec. 30, which bans 37 international NGOs from operating in Gaza and the West Bank. The regulation grants Israeli authorities "broad discretionary powers" to deny status to organizations, including those based on past support for international legal proceedings against Israeli citizens, engagement with boycotts, or failure to characterize Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, according to the statement.

"The ban is not an isolated act, but part of a systematic assault on humanitarian operations in the occupied Palestinian territory and another step in the deliberate dismantling of Gaza’s lifeline," the experts said.

They said that in Gaza, survivors are facing winter conditions, severe food insecurity, malnutrition, and the collapse of healthcare and education systems, amid what they described as severe environmental harm caused by Israeli aggression.

According to the experts, more than 500 humanitarian workers and at least 1,500 health workers have been killed since October 2023, while humanitarian personnel have also faced intimidation, harassment and smear campaigns.

As of Dec. 31, nearly $50 million in life-saving aid remained blocked, they said, amid repeated ceasefire violations and continued military operations that have killed more than 400 Palestinians in under three months.

"There are no words left to describe what Gaza has become," the experts said, urging states to ensure unconditional humanitarian access and warning that failure to act could incur responsibility under international law.