File Photo: Trucks carrying aid destined for Gaza lined up on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing. AFP
The statement, delivered by an Egyptian delegation, forms part of proceedings seeking an advisory opinion from the United Nation’s (UN) top court on the legal consequences of Israel’s prolonged occupation of Palestinian territories.
According to the Egyptian foreign ministry, the delegation argued that Israel’s actions in Gaza — including blockades, forced displacement, and the obstruction of aid — constitute grave violations of international humanitarian law, designed to impose a fait accompli and facilitate the de facto annexation of Palestinian land.
Citing public statements from Israeli officials and legislation passed by the Knesset, the delegation pointed to a broader strategy of displacement and control.
In particular, it condemned Israel’s efforts to undermine UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, by cutting off its funding; an act the delegation said aims to erode the Palestinian right of return and weaken the right to self-determination enshrined in the UN Charter.
Egypt also condemned Israel's weaponization of starvation.
Since October 2023, Israel has closed border crossings and blocked the entry of food, water, fuel, and medical supplies into Gaza, the delegation noted.
These policies, it said, have deepened an already catastrophic humanitarian crisis, created by the Israeli war on Gaza, which killed an estimated 52,000 Palestinian civilians, the majority of them women and children.
The Egyptian delegation further accused Israel of targeting civilian infrastructure and intensifying assaults on medical and humanitarian personnel, leading aid agencies to suspend operations for staff safety.
Particular concern was raised over Israel’s repeated strikes on the Rafah border crossing, a key entry point for humanitarian aid, and its broader assault on Rafah city, where over a million displaced Palestinians had sought refuge.
As a UN member state and occupying power, Israel is legally bound under the UN Charter and international humanitarian law to facilitate the delivery of emergency aid, the delegation said — obligations it has “systematically violated.”
Egypt urged the ICJ to affirm that Israel’s prolonged occupation constitutes a continuing breach of international law and that its obligations as an occupying power must remain in force until the occupation ends.
The delegation called for an immediate, unconditional end to the blockade on Gaza and for the court to mandate the safe, large-scale delivery of humanitarian supplies through all crossings.
Additionally, the delegation noted the need to enforce UN Security Council Resolution 2735, adopting an urgent relief plan for Palestinian civilians, along with facilitating its execution through all available means.
It also requested that the ICJ uphold the rights of UN agencies and humanitarian actors to operate without obstruction, demand the repeal of Israeli legislation targeting UNRWA, and affirm the legal protections owed to international institutions.
Finally, Egypt called on the court to reaffirm the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination — including the right to economic, social, and cultural development, the receipt of international assistance, and protection from displacement or forced expulsion.
Egypt’s delegation was led by Ambassador Hatem Abdelkader, Assistant Foreign Minister for International Legal Affairs and Treaties, and Counsellor Yasmin Moussa, Legal Advisor at the Cabinet of the Foreign Minister.
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