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yesterday

ICJ Says Israel Must Facilitate Gaza Aid and Allow UNRWA Operations

The non-binding opinion increases pressure on Israel to permit UN relief under a fragile ceasefire.

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Presiding Judge Iwasawa Yuji, second from the right, starts reading the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, on Wednesday.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) gathers to issue an advisory opinion assessing the legal consequences of Israeli restrictions on United Nations (UN) agencies in the Hague, Netherlands on October 22, 2025. (Dursun Aydemir/Anadolu via Getty Images)
ICJ judges deliver a non-binding advisory opinion on Israel's obligations regarding the presence and activities of the United Nations and other international actors in the occupied Palestinian territory.

Overview

  • ICJ judges said Israel, as an occupying power, must ensure basic needs for Palestinians and must not impede United Nations and other impartial humanitarian operations, recalling the prohibition on using starvation as a method of warfare.
  • The court found Palestinians in Gaza were inadequately supplied and recorded that aid was substantially restricted and completely prevented from March 2 to May 18, with catastrophic consequences.
  • Israel’s allegations of widespread Hamas infiltration at UNRWA were not substantiated, and the court said UNRWA cannot be replaced on short notice without a proper plan.
  • Israel formally rejected the advisory opinion and said it will not cooperate with UNRWA; the decision passed 10–1, with Vice President Julia Sebutinde dissenting on key points.
  • Diplomatic moves followed quickly, with Norway saying it will seek a UN General Assembly resolution to lift aid restrictions, as WFP reported 530 trucks carrying more than 6,700 tonnes since the ceasefire, still far below daily targets.