From the Liveblog of
Monday, April 28, 2025
As ICJ holds hearings on aid for Palestinians, Sa’ar says Israel-UNRWA cooperation ‘won’t happen’
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar lays out accusations against the United Nations and the organization’s Relief and Work Agency, at a press conference taking place as the UN’s International Court of Justice opens a week of hearings on Israel’s humanitarian obligations toward Palestinians.
“At this very moment, the ICJ is beginning the deliberations in another shameful proceeding against Israel,” says the foreign minister, adding that Israel chose not to attend the oral proceedings so as “not to take part in this circus.”
“It is not Israel that should be on trial,” says Sa’ar, but rather the UN and UNRWA, the latter of which coordinates nearly all aid to Gaza.
Sa’ar calls UNRWA “an organization infiltrated beyond repair by terrorism.”
The foreign minister criticizes past rulings of the ICJ, noting that “this is the fourth proceeding relating to Israel in the court since the October 7 massacre.”
“Now, they are abusing the courts, once again, to try and force Israel to cooperate with an organization that is infested with Hamas terrorists, and it won’t happen,” says the foreign minister.
“UNRWA employed over 1,400 known terrorists, many of whom took an active part in the October 7 atrocities,” continues Sa’ar, citing UNRWA employee Mohammed Abu Itiwi, a Hamas Nukhba Force commander, as one example.
“[Abu Itiwi] was caught on video participating in the murder and kidnapping of Israelis near Kibbutz Re’im [on October 7, 2023], including Hersh Goldberg-Polin,” who was taken hostage and then murdered in captivity, says Sa’ar.
“I accuse,” says Sa’ar, “I accuse UNRWA. I accuse the UN. I accuse the Secretary General, I accuse all those that weaponize international law and its institutions in order to deprive the most attacked country in the world, Israel, of its most basic right to defend itself.”
Behind Sa’ar, a large screen displays the faces of UN Secretary-General António Guterres and UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini, alongside the bold headline “J’Accuse” (“I Accuse” in French), referencing an 1898 open letter written by French author Émile Zola during the Dreyfus Affair.
The UN has asked judges to clarify in this week’s proceedings Israel’s legal obligations toward the UN and its agencies, international organizations or third-party states to “ensure and facilitate the unhindered provision of urgently needed supplies essential to the survival of the Palestinian civilian population.”
Israel strictly controls all inflows of international aid for the 2.4 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
It halted aid deliveries to Gaza on March 2 after the collapse of a ceasefire and hostage release deal. The war in Gaza was sparked by the October 7, 2023, Hamas invasion and massacre in southern Israel, in which some 1,200 people were killed and 251 were seized as hostages.
Agencies contributed to this report.
The Times of Israel Community.