International Court of Justice criticizes Israel's handling of humanitarian aid in Gaza

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has issued a non-binding but legally and politically significant opinion stating that Israel, as the occupying power, is obliged to ensure that the basic needs of the civilian population in the Gaza Strip are met.

The court also called on Israel to support the humanitarian activities of the United Nations and its agencies, including the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
Israel responded negatively and again accused UNRWA of having ties to Hamas, even though the court found that these allegations were not sufficiently substantiated.

The ICJ's statement comes after Israel had obstructed the delivery of aid to Gaza in recent months, which, according to the United Nations, contributed to the humanitarian crisis.

Although Israel has allowed a certain amount of aid to enter, the UN said the scale of deliveries remains insufficient. The court's statement also emphasized that the protection of UN staff in the conflict must be a priority and could have implications beyond the context of Gaza.

(reuters, mja)