ICJ to hold hearings next month on Israel’s aid obligations to Palestinians
Proceedings follow UN’s approval of motion calling on The Hague court to clarify what Israel must do to ‘ensure and facilitate the unhindered provision of urgently needed supplies’
The International Court of Justice will hold hearings next month on Israel’s humanitarian obligations toward Palestinians, amid an Israeli government freeze on letting aid into Gaza.
The United Nations General Assembly approved a resolution in December requesting that the world body’s top court give an advisory opinion on the matter.
The hearings will open on April 28 at the court’s seat in The Hague, it said in a statement.
The resolution, submitted by Norway in October, was adopted by a large majority.
It calls on the ICJ to clarify what Israel is required to do to “ensure and facilitate the unhindered provision of urgently needed supplies essential to the survival of the Palestinian civilian population.”
Although the General Assembly’s decision are not legally binding, the body has no concrete means to enforce them. But they increase the diplomatic pressure on Israel.
Last July, the ICJ issued an advisory opinion stating that Israel’s control of Palestinian territory was “illegal” and must end as soon as possible.
Israel strictly controls all inflows of international aide vital for the 2.4 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip hit by a humanitarian crisis.
Israel halted aid deliveries to war-torn Gaza on March 2 after a deadlock in talks with Hamas over a fragile ceasefire and hostage release deal, which since January 19 has reduced hostilities following 15 months of relentless fighting sparked by the terrorist group’s attack on October, 7, 2023.
Norway’s initiative was triggered by an Israeli law banning from the end of January the UN agency for Palestinian refugees UNRWA from operating on Israeli soil and coordinating with the Israeli government.
The Israeli authorities accuse some UNRWA employees of taking part in the October 7 terror onslaught.
