Israel says new rules barring some aid groups from Palestinian territories take effect

Israel said Thursday that new regulations banning access of dozens of aid organizations to Gaza and the West Bank had come into force, despite calls by UN agencies and international humanitarian groups to halt the move.

Minister for Diaspora Affairs said organizations had been given 10 months to submit detailed information about their staff, with the deadline expiring at midnight on Wednesday. Groups that failed to meet the new requirements "had their licenses revoked Thursday," he said, without specifying how many were affected.

An Israeli government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said a review by the Ministry for Diaspora Affairs identified 37 organizations that did not comply with the new regulations.