Palestinian children ‘unprotected’ as NGOs forced out of Gaza and West Bank

What Happened

The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, in a statement issued by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on Monday, warned that Palestinian children are increasingly unprotected as humanitarian groups and rights defenders are forced to scale back operations in the occupied Palestinian territory. The committee said that many civil society and aid organisations in Gaza and the West Bank have been labelled 'terrorists' by pro-Israel groups or politicians, and have faced military raids, travel bans, personal financial sanctions, threats of arrest, destruction of records, and threats of secondary sanctions, making it 'increasingly impossible' for them to operate safely. Since a ceasefire that began on October 10, Israel has cracked down significantly on humanitarian operations in Gaza, banning Doctors Without Borders (MSF) after it failed to provide a list of its Palestinian staff. In February, 17 international aid groups petitioned Israel's Supreme Court to be allowed to keep working, but the Israeli government has planned to halt their life-saving activities. The committee urged the international community to hold Israeli authorities accountable and to lift the restrictions.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The forced withdrawal of humanitarian and rights organisations from Gaza and the West Bank threatens the documentation of grave violations against children, which could lead to impunity and leave Palestinian children with no protection from Israeli military courts or other abuses. The crackdown, occurring despite a ceasefire, signals a broader effort to shrink the humanitarian space, with potential consequences for adherence to international law and the viability of aid in the conflict.

Watch For

A ruling by Israel's Supreme Court on the petition by 17 aid groups, and any Israeli government response to the UN committee's call for accountability. Additional restrictions or expulsions of NGOs, and whether international pressure or diplomatic channels move to counteract the squeeze on humanitarian access.