“Nobody asks permission to kill, we don’t ask permission to save lives.” This is the motto of the humanitarian group Israeli Flying Aid (IFA), which provides lifesaving relief to communities affected by natural disasters or human conflict. IFA operates in places where local regimes prevent entry of formal international humanitarian organizations and focuses on countries that do not have diplomatic relations with Israel. IFA’s missions include Pakistan, Iraq, Sri Lanka, Chechnya, Indonesia, Burma, Sudan, Chad, Syria and more.

Israel Today spoke with founder and director Gal Lusky about her inspirational, and dangerous work.

Israel Today: Why was IFA established?

Gal Lusky: Our organization was established in 2005 in response to Article 7 of the Rome Statute and Chapter 7 of the UN Charter. Article 7 outlines the United Nations’ definition for crimes against humanity, acts of aggression, genocide, and war crimes, while Chapter 7 details “action with respect to threats to peace and acts of aggression.”

According to these statutes, aid can only enter a sovereign country with the approval of the local regime, and must...