MSF Refuses Israeli Demand for Staff Data, Citing Safety Risks in Gaza
PARIS/JERUSALEM – Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) announced Friday it will not comply with Israeli authorities' demands for the personal details of its staff working in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories, marking a sharp reversal from its earlier conditional openness. The medical humanitarian organization said it could not obtain necessary safety guarantees, leaving it no choice but to refuse the order.
The decision follows Israel's revocation of operating licenses for 37 international aid groups, including MSF, the Norwegian Refugee Council, and Oxfam, on January 1, for non-compliance with new "security and transparency" regulations. These rules, issued by Israel's Ministry for Diaspora Affairs, require organizations to submit highly sensitive data, including staff passport copies, CVs, and names of family members.
"After exhaustive dialogue, we concluded we cannot safely provide this information under the current circumstances," an MSF spokesperson stated. "The lack of concrete assurances, coupled with the operational environment, poses an unacceptable risk to our teams."
The backdrop to this standoff is a war that has exacted a horrific cost on medical personnel. Since October 2023, over 1,700 health workers have been killed in Gaza, according to aid agencies, including at least 15 MSF staff members. Humanitarian groups universally condemn the data demand, warning it could facilitate the targeting of aid workers in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem.
Israel defends the policy as a necessary security measure, alleging without public evidence that some aid groups employ individuals linked to Palestinian armed factions. These broad accusations, aid organizations counter, have dangerously stigmatized humanitarian work. The International Rescue Committee notes that Palestinians constitute nearly 20% of all aid workers killed globally since records began.
MSF's operations are a lifeline in Gaza, where the health system is described as "nearly non-functional." In 2025 alone, the group provided 800,000 medical consultations and supported one in five hospital beds. Its expulsion, MSF warns, would have a "devastating impact" on a population facing winter, rampant disease, and catastrophic need.
"We remain open to dialogue to sustain our medical operations," MSF said, "but our primary duty is to the safety of our staff and patients."
Voices & Reaction
David Chen, Humanitarian Policy Analyst, London: "This is a principled but perilous stand. MSF is navigating an impossible dilemma: defy a state authority and risk expulsion, or comply and potentially endanger your own staff. Their reversal shows how untenable the Israeli demands are from an operational safety perspective."
Sarah Klein, Former Aid Worker, Berlin: "My heart breaks for the colleagues on the ground. They're choosing between providing care and protecting their own identities. This isn't transparency; it's intimidation. Every day this war continues, the space for impartial humanitarian work shrinks."
Mark Reynolds, Security Consultant, Tel Aviv: "Israel has legitimate security concerns in a complex theater. While the tragedy of any health worker's death is undeniable, unverified staff lists from NGOs operating in Hamas-controlled areas create a real blind spot. The state's obligation is to protect its citizens first."
Leila Hassan, Palestinian Academic, Ramallah (via video call): "This is a blatant attempt to criminalize and dismantle the humanitarian response. They've killed the doctors, bombed the hospitals, and now they want the names of those who remain? It's grotesque. The world watches as Gaza is stripped of every last shred of protection."