Gaza Herald – In a landmark ruling, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared that Israel’s blockade on humanitarian aid to Gaza and its ban on the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) violate international law. The court ruled that Israel, as an occupying power, has an unconditional obligation to ensure and facilitate the delivery of food, medicine, and shelter to Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, rejecting Israeli and U.S. arguments citing “security” as justification.
The ICJ stated clearly that Israel “may never invoke reasons of security” to suspend humanitarian operations, affirming that its ongoing siege and restrictions amount to collective punishment, a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention. By ten votes to one, the judges ordered Israel to cooperate fully and in good faith with the UN and UNRWA, lift all restrictions on aid, and respect the rights and immunities of UN staff and facilities under the UN Charter.
The ICJ stated clearly that Israel “may never invoke reasons of security” to suspend humanitarian operations, affirming that its ongoing siege and restrictions amount to collective punishment, a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention. By ten votes to one, the judges ordered Israel to cooperate fully and in good faith with the UN and UNRWA, lift all restrictions on aid, and respect the rights and immunities of UN staff and facilities under the UN Charter.
The court also ruled unanimously that Israel must end the use of starvation as a weapon of war and cease all forced displacement of Palestinians under occupation. It further condemned Israel’s ongoing denial of Red Cross access to Palestinian detainees, a violation of humanitarian law that has persisted since October 2023.
The ruling marks the third ICJ opinion related to Israel’s violations since 2004, and one of the most decisive rebukes yet of Israel’s genocidal blockade. Palestinian Ambassador Ammar Hijazi welcomed the judgment, calling it “a legal and moral victory for humanity,” adding: “The world must now act, either stand with international law or with genocide, colonialism, and war crimes.”
UNRWA, which supports nearly 6 million Palestinian refugees, has faced relentless Israeli attacks, with 380 of its staff killed and over 900 of its facilities bombed since October 2023. The court dismissed Israel’s allegations that UNRWA is “not neutral,” finding no evidence to support such claims. The ICJ reaffirmed that UNRWA remains impartial and indispensable, the lifeline for millions of Palestinians enduring Israel’s ongoing campaign of destruction and starvation.
