Kuwait city: The International Court of Justice (ICJ) affirmed on Wednesday that the Israeli occupation is obliged to ensure the main needs of Gazans.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the Israeli occupation must facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid, including assistance from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), as stated by ICJ President Yuji Iwasawa.
Reading out the ICJ advisory opinion, Iwasawa highlighted the court’s reminder to the Israeli occupation about its commitments not to use starvation as a weapon against civilians in the Gaza Strip. He emphasized that international humanitarian law strictly prohibits obstructing aid or employing starvation as a method of warfare.
The Israeli occupation is required to facilitate relief efforts provided by the UNRWA, which is the primary UN agency operating in the occupied Palestinian territories. The size and urgency of aid needed for Gazans necessitate the continued role of UNRWA, he explained.
Iwasawa underscored the legal responsibility of the occupation towards Gazans, in compliance with the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law. He warned that Gaza’s humanitarian crisis poses a direct threat to the living conditions of the Palestinian people, thereby endangering their ability to exercise self-determination.
The court noted that the mandate of the UNRWA mission is intrinsically linked to the fundamental aspect of Palestinians’ right to self-determination. Last December, the UN General Assembly requested the ICJ to provide an advisory opinion on the obligations of the Israeli occupation concerning the UN and humanitarian organizations working in the occupied Palestinian territories, particularly in Gaza and the West Bank.