GAZA, (The Palestine Foundation Pakistan)The Hamas Movement has welcomed the advisory opinion issued today by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which refuted the false claims made by the Israeli occupation entity against the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
In a press statement, Hamas affirmed that the ruling underscores the critical humanitarian role played by UNRWA and other UN institutions in providing relief to the Palestinian people in Gaza.
Hamas stated that the ICJ’s decision to ban the use of starvation as a weapon of war confirms that the occupation, through its deliberate starvation of Palestinians, is committing a form of genocide. The ruling also asserts that Israel, as an occupying power, must refrain from applying its domestic laws to the occupied Palestinian territories. Hamas stressed that the ruling effectively blocks all attempts to legitimize settlements or impose facts on the ground by force.
The Movement emphasized that the Court’s affirmation of Israel’s obligation to meet the urgent humanitarian needs of Palestinians in Gaza constitutes a clear call for immediate international action to ensure the entry of humanitarian aid and to prevent it from being politicized or used by Israel as a tool of coercion.
The ICJ had earlier stated that Israel is obligated to guarantee the basic needs of Palestinian civilians and must not use starvation as a method of warfare.
In a statement released Wednesday, the Court explained that Israel must facilitate the humanitarian relief efforts of the United Nations in the Palestinian territories without obstruction.
The Court further clarified that there is no evidence proving that UNRWA violated the principle of neutrality or practiced discrimination in distributing aid. It concluded that the agency plays an irreplaceable role under the current conditions.
The Court also noted that Israel failed to substantiate its allegations that a significant portion of UNRWA staff are affiliated with Hamas, asserting that such claims lack legal foundation and credible evidence.
On October 7, 2023, the Israeli occupation committed acts of genocide in the Gaza Strip, including killing, starvation, destruction, and forced displacement, all in clear disregard for international appeals and ICJ orders to halt such crimes.
The genocide has resulted in more than 238,000 killed and wounded, most of them children and women. Additionally, over 9,000 people remain missing, and hundreds of thousands of displaced individuals face famine, with many already having died from hunger. Massive destruction has also ravaged homes and vital infrastructure across Gaza.
