Bombed out ruins in Gaza. (Photo: Caritas Jerusalem)
Israel is preventing 37 aid groups from operating in Gaza unless they comply with controversial guidelines that critics say would put Palestinian staff at risk.
The guidelines state that aid organisations operating in the area must provide detailed personal information on all Palestinian members of staff. Israel has claimed that the guidelines are to prevent terrorist infiltration of aid efforts.
On the other side, aid organisations say that hundreds of aid workers were killed in the recent conflict and that these regulations will place Palestinian members of staff in even greater danger of being targeted.
While the deadline for aid organisations to comply with Israel’s requirements has passed, full enforcement will not take place until 1 March 2026, meaning they have two months to pack up shop and leave Gaza.
Despite this, some groups have pledged to stay.
A spokesperson for the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said in a statement that its own organisation, Caritas Jerusalem would “continue its humanitarian and development operations in Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem, in accordance with its mandate”.
The statement confirmed that Caritas had not attempted to re-register with the Israeli authorities in order to comply with the new guidelines, and appeared to appeal to older agreements with the country allowing it to operate.
“Caritas Jerusalem is a humanitarian and development organisation operating under the umbrella and governance of the Assembly of the Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land,” it said.
“In Israel, Caritas Jerusalem is an Ecclesiastical Legal Person, whose status and mission have been recognised by the State of Israel through the 1993 Fundamental Agreement and the subsequent 1997 Legal Personality Agreement signed between the Holy See and the State of Israel.”
During the conflict Israel was accused of “weaponizing” the flow of aid, while Hamas has been accused of using aid to control the local population. Both sides deny the allegations, with Israel claiming restrictions are for security purposes and various reports suggesting that Hamas has not commandeered local aid on a significant scale.
Other Christian organisations affected by Israel’s ban include World Vision and DanChurchAid.
