This must happen as quickly as possible and without delay, the judges believe. The UN’s highest legal body claims that the Palestinians in Gaza face worsening living conditions and that both famine and hunger are spreading.
– The court observes that Palestinians in Gaza no longer only face a risk of famine (…), but that famine is about to set in, according to the order of the court.
The new order from the UN comes at the initiative of South Africa, and is part of the ongoing case accusing Israel of a state-led genocide in Gaza.
Even if the case has not been fully dealt with, the UN Court has the opportunity to direct measures against Israel, as they have now done.
The UN International Court of Justice in The Hague orders Israel to provide food to Gaza as soon as possible.
Photo: PIROSCHKA VAN DE WOUW / Reuters
In January, the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to ensure that Israeli soldiers do not commit genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
Over 32,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip in October last year.
The Court was established to settle disputes between states. But even if the court’s decisions are legally binding, it has few means of enforcing them. For example, the court has ordered Russia to halt its invasion of Ukraine, to no avail.
– Israel uses food as a weapon
Israel has long been under strong international criticism for not allowing emergency aid, food and medicine into war-torn Gaza.
Israel controls all emergency aid into Gaza, and only a fraction of what was usual before the war entered. Israel’s restrictions could be a war crime, the UN warns.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Photo: COFFRINI FABRICE / AFP
“The scale of Israel’s continued restrictions on the entry of aid into Gaza, together with the manner in which they continue to carry out hostilities, may constitute the use of starvation as a method of war, which is a war crime,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said earlier this month.
Israel has not yet commented on the decision of the international court. But the Israeli government has previously said that they facilitate emergency aid and that it is the UN and emergency aid organizations that are responsible for how much and how quickly it is delivered.
Published 28.03.2024, at 17.56 Updated 28.03.2024, at 18.26
2024-03-28 16:56:16
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