NGOs petition High Court to bar government from cutting aid to Gaza

The Gisha human rights organization and four other NGOs file a motion to the High Court of Justice calling for an interim order banning the government from cutting of the supply of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, saying the step endangers the lives of Palestinian civilians in the territory and therefore violates Israel’s obligations under international law.

Gisha argues that halting the provision of aid is illegal “even if [Israel] claims that the existing aid is sufficient,” and says that recent media reports that six babies in Gaza died of hypothermia in February proved the claim to be false anyway.

“According to humanitarian law, there is an obligation to protect the civilian population and allow the free passage of humanitarian aid to such a population,” writes Gisha in its petition.

“These obligations cannot be made conditional on political considerations, and humanitarian aid cannot be used as a tool of war or a way of exerting pressure,” the human rights groups contends.

Israel cut off the aid supply to Gaza this morning, with the Prime Minister’s Office stating that “Israel will not allow a ceasefire without the release of our hostages.” Hebrew media reported that Israel currently believes enough aid has entered the enclave in recent weeks to last Gaza for several months.