Israel said on Sunday (February 1, 2026) it was terminating the humanitarian operations of Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in Gaza after the international medical charity failed to provide a list of its Palestinian staff.
In December, Israel announced it would prevent 37 aid organisations, including MSF, from working in Gaza from March 1 for failing to submit detailed information about their Palestinian employees, drawing widespread condemnation from NGOs and the UN.
“The Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism is moving to terminate the activities of Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) in the Gaza Strip,” the Ministry said on Sunday (February 1, 2026).
The decision follows “MSF’s failure to submit lists of local employees, a requirement applicable to all humanitarian organisations operating in the region”, it added.
A Palestinian woman helps a burn victim, Maria Abu Aawad, at a Doctors Without Borders (MSF) hospital, amid severe shortages of medical equipment, medicines and essential materials needed for burn treatment, in Zawaida, in the central Gaza Strip, January 26, 2026.
| Photo Credit:
Reuters
The Ministry had earlier alleged that two MSF employees had links with Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad, which the charity has vehemently denied.
On Sunday (February 1, 2026), the Ministry said MSF had committed in early January to sharing the staff list as required by the Israeli authorities but ultimately refrained.
“Subsequently, MSF announced it does not intend to proceed with the registration process at all, contradicting its previous statements and the binding protocol,” the Ministry added, saying “MSF will cease its operations and depart the Gaza Strip by February 28”.
MSF said no assurance given about security of staff
In a statement on Friday, MSF acknowledged that it had, as an “exceptional measure”, agreed to share a list of names of its Palestinian and international staff with the Israeli authorities.
“However, despite repeated efforts, it became evident that we were unable to build engagement with Israeli authorities on the concrete assurances required,” it said.
“These included that any staff information would be used only for its stated administrative purpose and would not put colleagues at risk.”
Without those assurances, MSF “concluded that we will not share staff information in the current circumstances”.
The group says 15 of its employees have been killed over the course of the war.
Minister of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Amichai Chikli said the organisation had “abruptly changed” its position.
“It appears the organisation’s employees do not meet the established criteria,” Mr. Chikli said.
Palestinians receive treatment at a Doctors Without Borders (MSF) hospital, amid severe shortages of medical equipment, medicines and essential materials needed for burn treatment, in Zawaida, in the central Gaza Strip, January 26, 2026.
| Photo Credit:
Reuters
Critical services at risk
MSF has long been a key provider of medical and humanitarian aid in Gaza, particularly since the war broke out in October 2023 after Hamas’ attack on Israel.
The charity says it currently provides at least 20% of hospital beds in the territory and operates around 20 health centres.
In 2025 alone, it carried out more than 800,000 medical consultations and more than 10,000 infant deliveries, and it also provides drinking water.
Aid groups warn that without international support provided by organisations such as MSF, critical services such as emergency care, maternal health and paediatric treatment could collapse entirely in Gaza, leaving hundreds of thousands of residents without basic medical care.
As they did with MSF, the Israeli authorities have repeatedly accused the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, of providing cover for Hamas militants, claiming that some of its employees even took part in the October 7, 2023 attack.
A series of investigations, including one led by France’s former Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, found some “neutrality-related issues” at UNRWA but stressed Israel had not provided conclusive evidence for its headline allegation.
Last month, Israeli authorities began demolishing buildings at UNRWA’s headquarters in east Jerusalem, which the organisation described as an “unprecedented attack”.
UNRWA has now been banned from operating in east Jerusalem, but it continues to operate in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Published – February 01, 2026 04:38 pm IST
