'Israel' freezes aid workers visas despite dire situation in Gaza
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A coalition of aid groups has raised concerns, noting that numerous foreign aid workers, including organization leaders, have been forced to depart occupied Palestine.
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A UNDP-provided tent camp for forcibly displaced Palestinians by the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip is seen in Khan Younis, on Oct. 19, 2023. (AP)
"Israel" has ceased granting visas to international staff from humanitarian organizations operating in occupied Palestine, hindering the delivery of essential supplies, including food, to Gaza.
A coalition of aid groups has raised concerns, noting that numerous foreign aid workers, including organization leaders, have been forced to depart occupied Palestine. Some are now overstaying their visas, facing the risk of deportation, as they strive to maintain their humanitarian efforts.
Emergency response teams, equipped with specialized expertise to address the numerous challenges of operating in Gaza, are notably impacted, according to Faris Arouri, the director of the Association of International Development Agencies (AIDA). AIDA is an umbrella organization that represents various aid groups active in the occupied West Bank and besieged Gaza.
Emergency response teams, mobilized swiftly from regional headquarters to address unforeseen crises, face hindrances due to the visa suspension. Aid organizations struggle to bring in experts to occupied al-Quds, the primary coordination hub for aid to Gaza, as the Israeli Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs, responsible for visa issuance, halted the provision of recommendation letters needed for visa processing after October 7.
The Israeli Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs reportedly extended all humanitarian visas automatically until February 8, 2024. However, upon the expiration of this extension, the Ministry informed humanitarian organizations that it had ceased issuing recommendation letters, and discussions regarding the visa process were allegedly underway among various government authorities.
“There have always been ups and downs, especially since the second intifada [from 2000 to 2005]. There were phases where there were some restrictions or where access was harder. But never on this scale,” Arouri said.
The Israeli prohibition on visas for international personnel is exacerbating an already dire condition added to restrictions preventing Palestinian staff from the occupied West Bank from entering al-Quds or Gaza. This results in teams being dispersed geographically during a significant crisis. The limited flow of aid reaching Gaza is insufficient to alleviate severe shortages of food, clean water, and essential medical supplies. Medical professionals report that children are dying of malnutrition due to the ongoing Israeli genocide and total blockade.
“We have 15 country directors without visas, who have had to leave, or are preparing to leave,” Arouri said, adding that while teams attempted to conduct remote work, the division of essential personnel was
“strangling” operations. “You need them on the ground, with access to Gaza.”
'Humanitarian visas must be renewed now'
A survey of approximately one-third of AIDA members, encompassing 35 organizations, indicated that more than 150 positions were impacted, according to Arouri. The visas for 57 personnel had already lapsed, with over 40 more set to expire in the upcoming weeks. Humanitarian organizations were also unable to hire an additional 50 international staff required to enhance operations in Gaza.
Unless "Israel" resumes visa issuance, all foreign humanitarian workers will need to depart by early autumn when the last visas issued in 2023 expire. Britain's shadow foreign secretary, David Lammy, raised the matter in parliament, urging the UK government to exert pressure on "Israel" for corrective action.
“Humanitarian visas must be renewed now,” he said. “With no humanitarian visa renewals since the outbreak of this war, [Israel is] leaving humanitarian workers facing deportation when the Palestinian people need them most.”
A visa crackdown is affecting UN aid workers, limiting their access to "Israel" and Gaza to short-term stays. Most international staff, including those in Gaza, have been restricted to one or two-month visas, according to Philippe Lazzarini, the chief of UNRWA.
The logistical challenges resulting from these restrictions are outlined in a letter to the president of the UN General Assembly. Additionally, a ban on foreign humanitarian workers entering Gaza from "Israel" via the "Kerem Shalom" border crossing is impeding relief efforts.
UNRWA has not received permits from Israeli occupation authorities to deliver aid to northern Gaza for over a month, jeopardizing its operations in the region. The visa constraints have also led to precarious situations, such as a failed airdrop of food supplies into the sea off Gaza earlier in the week, as mentioned by a senior international aid worker. However, the limited capacity of airdrops poses challenges in supplying substantial amounts of food amid an imminent famine.
Read next: Malnutrition, hunger kills 7 infants in Gaza due to Israeli war, siege
