Major Medical Charity Banned from Gaza After Refusing to Share Staff Names with Israel

2026-02-01 services

Gaza, 1 February 2026
Médecins Sans Frontières faces expulsion from Gaza after declining to provide Israeli authorities with Palestinian and international staff information, citing safety concerns. The organisation provides 20% of Gaza’s hospital beds and delivered over 800,000 medical consultations in 2025 alone.

Registration Requirements and Compliance Controversy

The confrontation between Médecins Sans Frontières and Israeli authorities stems from new registration requirements introduced in March 2025 [2][8]. Israeli authorities mandated that organisations seeking registration provide detailed staff information, including passport copies, CVs, and family member names [4][8]. On 30 December 2025, Israel announced that MSF’s registration had lapsed and that operations were expected to cease within 60 days [2][8]. This deadline places MSF and 36 other international non-governmental organisations under immediate pressure to comply or face expulsion by 28 February 2026 [6].

Israeli Accusations and Security Justifications

Israeli officials have defended the registration requirements as necessary security measures. Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli stated that MSF “abruptly changed its position after publicly committing to act according to procedure” [3]. More seriously, Chikli alleged that “MSF employs individuals active in terrorist organisations, which is why it hides its employee lists” [3]. The Israeli government claims the organisation “operates in coordination with the Hamas Ministry of Health” [3]. Israel’s Diaspora Affairs Ministry maintains that employee lists would not be shared with external parties and are used solely for internal purposes [3][7].

Medical Services at Risk and Humanitarian Impact

The potential expulsion of MSF would have severe consequences for Gaza’s already devastated healthcare system. The organisation provides at least 20% of hospital beds in Gaza and operates around 20 health centres [1][8]. In 2025 alone, MSF carried out more than 800,000 medical consultations and more than 10,000 infant deliveries [1][2][8]. The charity also supports six public hospitals, runs two field hospitals, operates seven general healthcare centres, and maintains an inpatient feeding centre [8]. MSF has recently opened six new medical points and operates Gaza’s only burns centre while playing a crucial role in water delivery [6].

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