UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged Israel to reverse its planned ban on 37 NGOs operating in Gaza and the West Bank, calling their work “indispensable to life-saving humanitarian work.”

Israel says the groups failed to meet new registration rules requiring detailed disclosures on staff, funding, and operations, with enforcement set for March 1.

Humanitarian experts and aid organizations, including Doctors Without Borders and the Norwegian Refugee Council, warn that the rules put Palestinian staff at risk and violate humanitarian principles.

Guterres said the ban would worsen an already dire crisis, with most of Gaza’s population displaced and critical supplies still restricted despite a ceasefire, Al-Jazeera has reported.

Regional foreign ministers also called on the international community to pressure Israel to allow full access to essential aid, including food, water, shelter, and medical assistance.