More than 100 nonprofit organizations raised alarms regarding Israel's regulations imposed on aid groups operating in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank. They warned that these rules would significantly impede the delivery of vital humanitarian relief and replace independent organizations with those that would align with Israel’s political and military objectives. The letter, endorsed by prominent organizations like Oxfam, Doctors Without Borders, and CARE, accused Israel of "weaponizing aid" amid reports of starvation and humanitarian crises in war-torn Gaza.

The nonprofit groups reacted to registration mandates introduced by Israel in March 2023, which stipulate that organizations must submit comprehensive lists of their donors and Palestinian personnel for scrutiny. The letter cited concerns that this disclosure could jeopardize the safety of their staff and provide Israel with the discretion to prohibit aid, particularly if organizations were perceived to be "delegitimizing" the country or endorsing boycotts and divestments. The groups argued that these registration measures are designed to control independent organizations, suppress advocacy, and censor humanitarian reporting.

Additionally, the organizations pointed out that these new regulations infringe upon European data privacy laws. They claimed they were often allowed as little as seven days to comply with the requirements, which they found to be highly problematic and impractical.

In response, COGAT, Israel's military agency responsible for humanitarian aid to Gaza, denied the allegations made by the groups. It asserted that some international entities disguise their ties to Hamas under the pretext of humanitarian efforts, thus using aid to fortify Hamas’s military strength and solidify its control over Gaza. COGAT expressed its serious concerns regarding the reluctance of certain organizations to share information and comply with the registration procedures, suggesting that delays in aid distribution only occur when organizations choose not to meet what it deemed basic security protocols intended to prevent Hamas’s involvement.

Israel has a lengthy history of accusing aid groups and United Nations agencies of issuing biased reports concerning the situation in Gaza. The nonprofit organizations emphasized in their communication that since the blockade was initiated in March, most of them have not successfully delivered even a single truck of essential assistance. They highlighted that a vast majority of humanitarian supplies are failing to reach civilians in Gaza, where tens of thousands have perished, most of the population remains displaced, and famine poses an imminent threat. While a limited number of aid groups and U.N. agencies have resumed assistance deliveries, they remarked that the volume of aid trucks permitted entry into Gaza remains grossly inadequate.

Meanwhile, tensions have escalated over Israel and the United States’ endorsement of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation as the primary distributor of aid within the besieged region. This American firm, intended to replace the traditional U.N.-led aid distribution framework, has faced international backlash following incidents where hundreds of Palestinians were killed while seeking food near its distribution locations. Israel's insistence that U.N. agencies accept military escorts for delivering goods into Gaza has been largely rejected by these agencies, citing their commitment to impartiality. This standoff has led to conflicting claims: Israel asserts that it permits aid into Gaza in line with its rules, while long-established aid organizations contend that a considerable quantity of life-saving supplies remains stranded at the border crossings.

Aid officials, such as Oxfam's Bushra Khalidi in Gaza, reported that Oxfam has over $2.5 million worth of goods, notably water, sanitation, hygiene items, and food, that have been denied entry by Israel. Khalidi further underscored that the capacity of aid organizations to operate in Gaza might compromise their independence and ability to advocate and speak out on critical humanitarian issues.