In a landmark legal challenge, Doctors Without Borders, alongside a coalition of 18 other leading humanitarian organisations, has reaffirmed its commitment to petition Israel's High Court to overturn a ban that threatens to paralyse aid operations across Palestine.
The legal battle follows an initial hearing on March 23,2026. This petition seeks to strike down a February directive from Israeli authorities that ordered 37 NGOs to cease operations. These orders were based on revised registration rules that Doctors Without Borders describes as a “pretext to obstruct humanitarian assistance” and a violation of humanitarian principles.
A stand against data surveillance
Central to the dispute is a new requirement by Israeli authorities for NGOs to provide personal information and comprehensive lists of their Palestinian staff. Doctors Without Borders has explicitly refused to comply with this demand, citing severe safety concerns and international data protection standards.
In its statement, Doctors Without Borders highlighted the extreme risks faced by medical personnel in the region. Since October 2023, more than 1,700 health workers have been killed in Gaza, including 15 of Doctors Without Borders' own colleagues. The organisation maintains that sharing employee data without necessary safeguards would violate their “duty of care,” as staff have already been subjected to intimidation, arbitrary detention, and physical attacks.
Total humanitarian blockade
The restrictions have already had a devastating impact on the ground. Since January 1,2026, Israel has entirely blocked Doctors Without Borders from bringing any medical supplies or international staff into Gaza. By February 26, all international staff were forced to leave both Gaza and the West Bank, medical programs have been significantly reduced due to intensifying administrative barriers, security checkpoints, and rising violence.
“Israel is forcing humanitarian organisations into an impossible position,” the statement read, warning that the ban effectively cuts off lifesaving care for a population already facing “devastating consequences.”
The legal and moral responsibility
Doctors Without Borders emphasises that as the occupying power, Israel is legally obligated under international law to ensure the provision of humanitarian assistance. Instead, the organisation argues, the current policies are designed to dismantle the presence of independent and experienced aid groups.
As the High Court continues its deliberations, Doctors Without Borders is calling on the international community to exert all diplomatic and political leverage to demand that the Israeli government suspend these restrictions. Despite the mounting legal and security hurdles, Doctors Without Borders — which has operated in Palestine for nearly four decades — reaffirmed its commitment to remain in the region and provide assistance for as long as possible.