(LiCAS News): Following Israel’s announcement that it would suspend permits for more than three dozen aid organisations working in Gaza starting January 1, Caritas Jerusalem clarified its legal standing and operational mandate.
The Israeli government claimed that the aid agencies failed to comply with new requirements, including disclosing detailed information about Palestinian staff members, funding, and operations.
The move drew international criticism amid an escalating humanitarian crisis.
In a statement, Caritas Jerusalem said it is not subject to Israel’s re-registration process, stressing that it operates as an ecclesiastical entity formally recognised by the Israeli state.
“Caritas Jerusalem is a humanitarian and development organisation operating under the umbrella and governance of the Assembly of the Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land,” said Farid Jubran, public and governmental affairs advisor of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, and spokesperson of Caritas in Jerusalem.
In a statement, Caritas Jerusalem said it is not subject to Israel’s re-registration process, stressing that it operates as an ecclesiastical entity formally recognised by the Israeli state
“In Israel, Caritas Jerusalem is an Ecclesiastical Legal Person, whose status and mission have been recognised by the State of Israel through the 1993 Fundamental Agreement and the subsequent 1997 Legal Personality Agreement signed between the Holy See and the State of Israel,” Jubran added.
The organisation underscored that it “has not undertaken any re-registration process with the Israeli authorities,” and clarified that “Caritas Internationalis does not implement or conduct any direct interventions within the country.”
Despite the tightening restrictions, Caritas Jerusalem said it would continue its work across Palestinian territories.
The Israeli Ministry for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism said the measures were intended to “strengthen and update” oversight of international nongovernmental organisations operating in Gaza.
Caritas Jerusalem is a humanitarian and development organisation operating under the umbrella and governance of the Assembly of the Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land
Farid Jubran, public and governmental affairs advisor of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, and spokesperson of Caritas in Jerusalem
Among the 37 organisations or their divisions facing suspension are major international humanitarian agencies, including Doctors Without Borders [Médecins Sans Frontières], Oxfam affiliates, the Norwegian Refugee Council, CARE, World Vision International, the International Rescue Committee, Medical Aid for Palestinians UK, Defense for Children International, Caritas Internationalis, Caritas Jerusalem, the Near East Council of Churches, and several European-based medical and relief groups.
These organisations provide critical services such as healthcare, food distribution, shelter, water and sanitation, education, and psychosocial support in Gaza, where humanitarian needs have sharply intensified after months of sustained conflict and infrastructure destruction.
According to Al Jazeera, a coalition of foreign ministers from countries including the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Japan, and Nordic states urged Israel to allow nongovernmental organisations to operate in a “sustained and predictable” manner, warning that deregistration could severely disrupt access to essential services, including healthcare.
