Top UN court orders Israel to allow aid into Gaza
By Christy Cooney
The UN’s top court has unanimously ordered Israel to enable the unhindered flow of aid into Gaza in order to avert famine.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) said Israel must act “without delay” to allow the “unhindered provision… of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance”.
This follows warnings that famine could hit Gaza within weeks.
Israel has called allegations it is blocking aid “wholly unfounded”.
It has also denied allegations of genocide lodged at the ICJ by South Africa and has blamed the UN for problems with the distribution of aid.
The latest ruling by the court in The Hague comes after South Africa asked the court to bolster an order issued to Israel in January to take all measures to prevent genocidal acts in Gaza.
Although orders issued by the ICJ are legally binding, the court lacks the power to enforce them.
Last week, a report by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Global Initiative, which is run by the World Food Programme and others, warned that a “catastrophic” situation was developing.
