Posted on 10/22/2025 9:06:44 AM PDT by jerod
Israel has denied it has violated international law
The International Court of Justice said Wednesday that Israel must allow the United Nations aid agency in Gaza, known as UNRWA, to provide humanitarian assistance to the war-torn territory.
The UN General Assembly asked the court last year to give an advisory opinion on Israel's legal obligations after the country effectively banned the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, the main provider of aid to Gaza, from operating in the territory.
Israel "is under the obligation to agree to and facilitate relief schemes provided by the United Nations and its entities, including UNRWA," the court's president Yuji Iwasawa said.
Israel has denied it has violated international law, saying the court's proceedings are biased, and did not attend hearings in April. However, the country provided a 38-page written submission for the court to consider.
Advisory opinions carry significant legal weight and experts say the case could have broader ramifications for the UN and its missions worldwide.
In a message on the social media platform X, Israel's Foreign Ministry said it categorically rejected the court's findings and added that "Israel fully upholds its obligations under international law."
The Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, called the advisory opinion "shameful."
"They are blaming Israel for not co-operating with UN organs.… They should be blaming themselves. Those organs became breeding grounds for terrorists. Take for example UNRWA … an organization that supported Hamas for years," Danon said.
A ceasefire to consider
The proceedings predate the current fragile U.S.-brokered Gaza ceasefire agreement, which took effect on Oct. 10, and aims to end the two-year war in the Palestinian enclave. Though still in effect, the shaky truce was tested earlier this week after Israeli forces launched a wave of deadly strikes, saying Hamas militants had killed two soldiers.
Under the agreement, 600 humanitarian aid trucks are to be allowed to enter daily.
On Monday, Hamas chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya told Egypt's Al-Qahera News that Israel has complied with aid deliveries per the ceasefire agreement.
The UN has announced plans to ramp up aid shipments into Gaza.
During the hearings in April, Palestinian Ambassador to the Netherlands Ammar Hijazi told the 15-judge panel that Israel was "starving, killing and displacing Palestinians while also targeting and blocking humanitarian organizations trying to save their lives."
The UNRWA ban
Israel's ban on UNRWA came into effect in January.
The organization has faced increased criticism from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right allies, who claim the group is deeply infiltrated by Hamas. UNRWA rejects that claim.
In March, Israel cut off all aid shipments for three months, leading to severe food shortages in Gaza. Eventually, Israel allowed in some aid, while pushing forward with a highly criticized plan to shift aid distribution to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a private, U.S.-backed group.
Conditions continued to worsen and international food experts declared a famine in parts of Gaza in August.
Israel has claimed there was enough food in Gaza and accused Hamas of hoarding supplies.
GHF has suspended its operations after the latest ceasefire was reached.
An advisory opinion
Advisory opinions issued by the UN court are described as "non-binding" as there are no direct penalties attached to ignoring them. However, the treaty that covers the protections that countries must give to UN personnel says that disputes should be resolved through an advisory opinion at the ICJ and the opinion "shall be accepted as decisive by the parties."
The UN General Assembly asked for the ICJ's guidance in December 2024 on "obligations of Israel … in relation to the presence and activities of the United Nations … to ensure and facilitate the unhindered provision of urgently needed supplies essential to the survival of the Palestinian civilian population."
"We cannot let states pick and choose where the UN is going to do its work. This advisory opinion is a very important opportunity to reinforce that," Mike Becker, an expert on international human rights law at Trinity College Dublin, told The Associated Press ahead of the hearings in April.
The ICJ has issued other advisory opinions on Israeli policies. Two decades ago, the court ruled that Israel's West Bank separation barrier was "contrary to international law." Israel boycotted those proceedings, saying they were politically motivated.
In another advisory opinion last year, the court said that Israel's presence in the occupied Palestinian territories is unlawful and called on it to end, and for settlement construction to stop immediately. That ruling fueled moves for unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state. Israel condemned the decision, saying it failed to address the country's security concerns
Arrest warrants for Netanyahu
Last year, another tribunal in The Hague, the International Criminal Court, issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former defence minister, Yoav Gallant, alleging the pair have used "starvation as a method of warfare" by restricting humanitarian aid and have intentionally targeted civilians — charges Israeli officials strongly deny.
The advisory opinion at the ICJ is separate from the ongoing proceedings initiated by South Africa, accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. Israel rejects South Africa's claim and accuses it of providing political cover for Hamas.
The war in Gaza was triggered by Hamas's surprise attack on southern Israel that left some 1,200 dead and 250 taken hostage. Israel's retaliatory offensive in the Palestinian territory has killed more than 68,000 people, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.
The ministry's figures are seen as the most reliable by UN agencies and independent experts. Israel has disputed them without providing its own toll.
They will demand Israel allow UN aid in, and they’ll condemn Israel if one of their workers in harmed by the Hamasters.
Dear world court and UN...go piss up a rope!
a Nazi-infested court lacking any jurisdiction anyway.
PLUS Israel has sent in THOUSANDS OF TONS OF FREE AID
AND any legitimate foreign aid for the Fakestinian Occupation of the gaza district is always still welcome (and in recent weeks some foreign countries like USA and a little from Jordan and so forth has been forthcoming). It merely needs to clear inspection to assure that no more deadly weapons are smuggled in for the terrorists. SO ALL THIS ILLEGAL “COURT ORDER” is trying to do is enable the rearming of the terorrist gangsters. Nothing more, nothing different, nothing less.
World court isn’t fighting a war.
World “Court” equals “World Snort”, as they must be snorting something.
When is the World Court going to send their World Police to enforce their orders?
How much of this “aid” will be hijacked by Hamas gunmen?
I’m guessing around 3/4 of it. The other 1/4 will reach those truly in need. And that would just be for propaganda purposes.
Who pays these clowns?
Neither the US nor Israel recognizes the so-called ICJ.
In fact many world countries do not.
Our Senate threatened to bomb the Hague if those leftists tried to put American troops or leaders on trial for “ war crimes”
Heads we win
Tails you lose
BS. It is well documented that Hamas steals the aid.
World Court? Is that associated with the Justice League? I’d really like Superman’s opinion.
The "World Court".
and when the UN holds the aid up to make Israel look bad
Yeah, we’ll get right on that. Does the aid include munitions? Hey world court.....🖕
Yup. And they have no jurisdiction over the US or Israel. So write your BS ruling ICC. We will ignore them.
Often paraphrased but I’ll say it again, “How many Divisions does the World Court have?”
To the WC: Stick it where your law books don’t shine!
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