Extract from Reuters
THE
HAGUE, Oct 22 (Reuters) - The United Nations' top legal body, the
International Court of Justice, on Wednesday gave an advisory opinion
saying that Israel is under the obligation to ensure the basic needs of
the civilian population in Gaza are met.
The panel of 11 judges added Israel has to support relief efforts
provided by the United Nations in the Gaza Strip, and U.N. entities,
including UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for
Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
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"As
an occupying power, Israel is obliged to ensure the basic needs of the
local population, including the supplies essential for their survival,"
presiding judge Yuji Iwasawa said. He added that basic needs include
food, water, shelter, fuel and medical services.
Advisory
opinions of the ICJ, also known as the World Court, carry legal and
political weight, but they are not binding and the court has no
enforcement power.
ISRAEL REJECTS OPINION
The
opinion, which was requested by the U.N. General Assembly in December,
clarified the protections states must provide for U.N. staff and is
expected to have effects beyond the Gaza conflict.
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In
a post on X, Israel's foreign ministry said it categorically rejected
the court's findings and added "Israel fully upholds its obligations
under international law".
Israel
banned UNRWA from operating in Gaza last year, claiming that some of
its employees were members of militant group Hamas, or other affiliated
associations.
The
ministry said that the United Nations had yet to fully probe the extent
of Hamas involvement in UNRWA, and said Israel would not cooperate
"with an organization that is infested with terror activities".
[1/4]Judges,
including Yuji Iwasawa, arrive for the session of the International
Court of Justice (ICJ) on the day of a delivery of a non-binding
Advisory Opinion on Israel's obligations regarding the presence and
activities of the United Nations and other international actors in the
occupied... Purchase Licensing Rights
The
ICJ judges on Wednesday found that Israel had not substantiated its
claims that a significant number of UNRWA employees are Hamas members.
In April this year lawyers for the United Nations and Palestinian representatives at the ICJ accused Israel of breaking international law
by refusing to let aid into Gaza between March and May, a time when
Israel completely cut off all goods, accusing Hamas fighters of stealing
aid.
Since then, some humanitarian aid has been allowed in but U.N. officials say
it was nowhere near what was needed to ease a humanitarian disaster
which crossed the threshold into famine. A ceasefire agreed this month
calls for Israel to admit 600 trucks of aid per day, but the U.N. says
far less is entering so far.
The
ICJ opinion found Palestinians in Gaza were inadequately supplied and
stressed Israel cannot use starvation as a weapon of war.
Paul
Reichler, a lawyer acting for the Palestinians, said the findings meant
Israel was not complying with its international law obligations.
"On
the one hand, you have the court finding that starvation as a method of
warfare is illegal, and on the other, the court found that Israel
deliberately prevented food from reaching the civilian population in
Gaza," he said.
UNRWA, which serves millions of Palestinians by running schools and aid distribution, employs more than 30,000 people.
The
U.N. said in August last year that nine UNRWA staff may have been
involved in Hamas's October 7, 2023 assault on Israel and had been
fired. Israel says another UNRWA employee killed in Gaza in October 2024
was also a Hamas commander.
In an earlier 2024 advisory opinion, the ICJ found that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories
is illegal and should end immediately. The court also said that Israel
had human rights obligations to the Palestinians because of its position
as an occupying power.
Reporting by Stephanie van den Berg; Editing by Sharon Singleton and Peter Graff
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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