Palestinian envoy to ICJ: Israel targeting and blocking humanitarian organizations

A Palestinian diplomat tells the United Nations’ top court that Israel is killing and displacing civilians and targeting aid workers in Gaza, in a case that Israel has criticized as “systematic persecution and delegitimization.”

Israel denies deliberately targeting civilians and aid staff as part of its war against Hamas, sparked by the terror group’s October 7 onslaught, and is not attending the hearing at the International Court of Justice.

Palestinian envoy to the Netherlands Ammar Hijazi accuses Israel of breaching international law in Gaza and the West Bank.

“Israel is starving, killing and displacing Palestinians while also targeting and blocking humanitarian organizations trying to save their lives,” he charges.

Earlier this morning, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar called UNRWA “an organization infiltrated beyond repair by terrorism.”

The UN has asked judges at The Hague 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.

Israel has said it seeks to minimize civilian fatalities and stresses that Hamas uses Gaza’s civilians as human shields, fighting from civilian areas including homes, hospitals, schools, and mosques.