Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), also known as Doctors Without Borders, has announced it will not comply with a request by Israeli authorities to provide detailed lists of its staff members in order to continue operating in Gaza and the West Bank. The medical charity said on Friday that it was unable to secure assurances that sharing such personal data would not jeopardize the safety of its teams working in active conflict zones, especially amid intense violence that has put humanitarian workers at risk.
Under new regulations introduced by Israel this year, 37 international aid organizations were told to submit employee information as part of updated operational requirements. MSF and other groups have argued that sharing names and personal details could expose staff and their families to danger, particularly as hundreds of aid workers have been killed or injured in the region during ongoing hostilities. The charity had previously offered to provide a limited list of personnel who consented, subject to strict conditions, but said negotiations did not yield the necessary guarantees.
MSF warned that refusing to hand over staff data could result in restrictions on its ability to deliver critical medical care, potentially worsening humanitarian conditions. The organization emphasized its commitment to protecting its personnel while continuing life-saving operations in volatile conflict areas unless assurances can be secured. News as reported
