Israel To Ban Doctors Without Borders In Gaza Over Refusal To Provide Staff List

Last Updated:February 01, 2026, 21:09 IST

Israel ends Doctors Without Borders operations in Gaza over refusal to share Palestinian staff lists, citing security concerns. MSF says 15 staff killed.

Israel had first announced in December that it would terminate 37 aid organisations, including MSF, permission to work in Gaza from March 1 for failing to submit detailed information about their Palestinian employees.(Representational image/Reuters)

Israel on Sunday announced that it was terminating the humanitarian operations of Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in Gaza as the international medical charity failed to provide a list of its Palestinian staff.

“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.

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.

Israel had first announced in December that it would terminate 37 aid organisations, including MSF, permission to work in Gaza from March 1 for failing to submit detailed information about their Palestinian employees.

Also Read: ‘Limited Movement’: Israel To Reopen Rafah Crossing After 2 Years Of Gaza War

According to AFP, 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.

The ministry said on Sunday that MSF had assured in early January that it would share the staff list 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".

Also Read: ‘Half-Amputees, Children with Severe Burns’: US Nurse Who Was Stationed in Gaza Describes Horror

On Friday, MSF issued a statement stating 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," it said, adding that “we will not share staff information in the current circumstances".

The group said 15 of its employees were killed during the war.

According to AFP, 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. Last month, Israel started demolishing buildings at UNRWA’s headquarters in east Jerusalem.

News world Israel To Ban Doctors Without Borders In Gaza Over Refusal To Provide Staff List

Read More