Doctors Without Borders expressed concern that Israeli authorities had not provided guarantees about how the information would be used.
The Israeli government ordered the suspension of operations by the humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank.
The decision came after the organization refused to provide a full list of its Palestinian and international employees to authorities.
In a statement released on Sunday (1st), the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused the MSF of “having something to hide” and stated that the request is part of a registration process necessary for security reasons. According to the ministry, the organization had committed, in early January, to sharing the data, but later retreated, opting to “withdraw from Gaza”.
The Israeli authority also reiterated accusations – rejected by MSF – that two of the entity’s employees had links to Palestinian armed groups.
The humanitarian organization, in turn, explained in a note published on its website on Friday (30) that, as an “exceptional measure”, it had agreed to share the names.
However, it stated that it did not obtain basic guarantees about how this information would be used and protected. MSF requested that the data be used only for administrative purposes and that it not expose its employees to risks.
“It became clear that we were unable to establish a dialogue with the Israeli authorities based on the necessary concrete guarantees,” the organization declared. In the absence of these guarantees, MSF “has concluded that it will not share information about its employees in the current circumstances”.
With the impasse, Israel ordered the entity to cease its activities in Gaza by February 28, 2026.
MSF’s decision to initially accept the Israeli request sparked criticism within the medical and humanitarian community. Renowned Palestinian surgeon Dr. Ghassan Abu Sittah warned that the move could put the lives of the organization’s local employees at risk.
The ban comes amid growing restrictions against aid agencies in Gaza. In December, Israel had already announced plans to prevent the activities of 37 organizations, including MSF, from March 1st, under the same justification of lack of information about their staff.
Human rights organizations warn that these measures will worsen the humanitarian crisis in the territory, where the health system is devastated after months of military offensive and the population depends almost entirely on foreign aid to survive.
With information from Middle East Eye on 02/01/2026
Source: https://www.ocafezinho.com/2026/02/01/israel-proibe-atuacao-de-medicos-sem-fronteiras-em-gaza-e-cisjordania/
