Israel’s decision to tighten registration and security vetting for NGOs operating in Gaza is not an attack on humanitarianism. It is an overdue recognition of reality: Gaza is not a neutral disaster zone. It is an active combat theater governed by a jihadist organization that deliberately weaponizes civilian space.

A serious state regulates access to such environments. It does not outsource national security to brand reputation or accept “trust us” assurances when the governing authority embeds itself in hospitals, schools, aid convoys, and NGO labor networks.

That distinction matters—because humanitarian access can save lives, but it can also be exploited.

Israel has continued to facilitate aid into Gaza throughout the war—under fire, under diplomatic pressure, and under constant international scrutiny. Convoys cross borders. Inspections occur. Approved organizations continue to operate.

What has changed is not Israel’s commitment to humanitarian access, but its refusal to allow unvetted personnel and opaque organizations to operate inside a battlespace controlled by Hamas.

Staff vetting is not bureaucratic cruelty; it is risk management. Hamas has every incentive to penetrate aid ecosystems—through intimidation of........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)