The International Court of Justice says Israel has obligation to ensure and facilitate humanitarian relief to Palestinians
The world’s top court on Wednesday ruled that Israel‘s ban on the UN’s main humanitarian provider to Palestinians and its restrictions on aid to Gaza and the occupied West Bank violate international law.
The advisory opinion comes six months after hearings by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, where more than 40 states and international organisations presented evidence mostly arguing that Israel had breached its international legal obligations to facilitate the entry of aid to the Palestinian population under its occupation.
Only the US and Hungary disputed the majority opinion, arguing for an interpretation of international humanitarian law in favour of limiting such obligation due to military necessity and Israel’s security.
The case was prompted by Israel banning Unrwa, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, in October 2024, an event that sparked global outrage and calls for Israel to be ejected from the United Nations due to accusations that it violated the founding charter, particularly the privileges and immunities enjoyed by its agencies.
Wednesday’s ruling is the third advisory opinion case since 2004 to be heard before the ICJ in relation to Israel’s violations of international law.
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ICJ advisory opinions are highly authoritative among states and the court’s interpretation of a legal question is considered binding as a matter of general international law.