"The EU has been clear: the NGO registration law can not be implemented in its current form," EU humanitarian chief Hadja Lahbib posted on X, after Israel said several groups would be barred from January 1 for failing to comply with rules concerning the listing of their Palestinian employees.

"IHL (international humanitarian law) leaves no room for doubt: aid must reach those in need," Lahbib wrote.

Israel announced on Tuesday that it would suspend from January several aid organisations operating in Gaza under the pretext of failing to provide details about their Palestinian staff.

In its statement, the Israeli Ministry of diaspora affairs alleged after an investigation that the international medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) had employed two individuals with links to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad respectively.

Israel has made similar claims about the UNRWA, the UN refugee agency, allegations that were later shown to be fabricated.

When contacted, MSF said it "would never knowingly employ people engaging in military activity" .

The charity added that it "continues to engage and discuss with Israeli authorities," and that it has "not yet received a decision on re-registration."

Several NGOs have told AFP the new rules will have a major impact on aid distribution in Gaza.

The United Nations and huamitarian organisations say that the amount of aid entering Gaza remains inadequate.

While the October 10 ceasefire agreement stipulated the entry of 600 trucks per day, only 100 to 300 are carrying humanitarian aid, according to NGOs and the UN.

This December, the UN warned the food situation in the Palestinian territory remained "critical" despite the ceasefire.

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Initiative (IPC) said that around 1.6 million people in Gaza are still forecast to face "crisis" levels of food insecurity in the period running to April 15, it said.

* This story was edited by Ahram Online.

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