Israel's top court on Friday issued a temporary injunction allowing international aid groups to continue operating in Gaza and other Palestinian territories, halting a government decision to ban groups that refused to comply with new registration rules. The Supreme Court's order followed a petition from 17 aid groups challenging the rules as invasive and arbitrary.
The Israeli government had announced it would ban 37 aid groups by March 1 for not abiding by regulations introduced last year requiring them to register employee names and contact information and provide details about funding and operations. Aid groups argue the rules hinder critical assistance to Gaza's population, much of which relies on humanitarian aid after Israel's two-year offensive.
Athena Rayburn, executive director of AIDA, an umbrella group representing over 100 aid organisations, called the decision 'a step in the right direction' but stressed there was 'a long, long way still to go'. Lawyers for the petitioners said the ruling gives Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank some 'breathing room'.
Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes overnight killed at least four people, according to hospitals. The strikes hit police checkpoints near Khan Younis and in Bureij refugee camp. The Israeli army said it killed several armed militants in eastern Rafah, describing the strikes as a response to ceasefire violations. The violence has repeatedly disrupted a US-negotiated truce that took effect in October.
In the occupied West Bank, the US Embassy began offering consular services for the first time at an Israeli settlement in Efrat, where around 4,000 US citizens live. The move reflects a policy shift under President Donald Trump, whose administration has been more supportive of settlements than previous US governments. The international community largely considers Israeli settlements illegal and an obstacle to peace.
