Israel prepares for possible return to intense fighting in Gaza: Report
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has instructed the military to prepare for the possibility of a return to intense fighting against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, according to The Jerusalem Post newspaper.
The report said the Israeli security establishment has clarified that it has not received instructions from political leaders to prepare for the reopening of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt.
According to a security source quoted by The Jerusalem Post, there is only a slim chance that Israel will allow goods to enter Gaza under current conditions. The source said doing so would amount to enabling reconstruction while key Israeli demands remain unmet.
These include the return of the remains of Staff Sergeant Major Ran Gvili, described as the final Israeli captive, as well as the demilitarisation of the Gaza Strip and the disarmament of Hamas.
Israeli officials have repeatedly linked any easing of restrictions on Gaza to progress on these issues, the report added.
Medical charity MSF says Israel ignored meeting requests over registration issue
Claire San Filippo, Doctors Without Borders’ (MSF’s) emergency coordinator for Palestine, has said Israel’s move to ban dozens of international aid organisations from operating in Gaza under new registration requirements is a “cynical and calculated attempt” to block humanitarian assistance at a time of immense need.
As we’ve reported, the Israeli government has issued new guidelines for NGOs operating in Gaza, including a requirement to supply information on Palestinian staff. Israel said 37 organisations that failed to comply, including MSF, will be deregistered.
San Filippo said MSF, which has lost 15 staff members to Israeli attacks in the enclave, has “legitimate concerns about the absence of clarity as to how such sensitive data will be used, stored and shared”.
Israeli authorities have ignored repeated MSF requests for a meeting on the issue, Filippo said.
“Conditioning access to a territory on the submission of staff lists is outrageous, is an outrageous overreach,” she added. “Allowing humanitarian aid is not a luxury or a favour. It is an obligation under international humanitarian law.”
Aid groups warn Israel’s new criteria could halt operations in Gaza
In late December 2025, Israel announced that 37 humanitarian NGOs would be banned or suspended from operating in the territory if they did not meet the new registration criteria.
These require each organisation to provide a detailed list of its employees, including Palestinian staff, and also personal identification information for Israeli security vetting. On top of that, we know many organisations had to provide funding sources.
For example, the International Medical Corps, which has been used as a field hospital and has provided urgent medical care for hundreds of Palestinians, could cease operations in Gaza.
The construction of such hospitals came after the vast Israeli destruction of Gaza’s healthcare system.
