Lawyers and judges sit in the courtroom of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague as they gather with the court for the first day of hearings to issue an advisory opinion on Israel's obligations to assist in the occupied Palestinian territories. AFP
“The court finds that Israel has not substantiated its allegations that a significant part of UNRWA’s employees are ‘members of Hamas… or other factions,’” said ICJ President Yuji Iwasawa.
Israel barred UNRWA from operating on its territory after accusing some of its staff of involvement in the launch of Hamas's Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on 7 October.
But multiple inquiries, including one led by former French foreign minister Catherine Colonna in April 2024, concluded that Israel had “yet to provide supporting evidence” for its claims.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini has repeatedly said Israel is conducting a “concerted campaign aimed at destroying UNRWA,” describing the effort as part of a broader political push to erase the question of Palestinian refugees and their right of return.
“It is a long-term political goal because it is believed that if the aid agency is abolished, the status of the Palestinian refugees will be resolved once and for all, and with it, the right of return. There is a much larger political goal behind this,” he said.
Since Israel launched its genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023, its forces have killed at least 543 aid workers, 370 of them UNRWA staff, according to the agency.
Speaking to Ahram Online, Lazzarini said UNRWA should only be dismantled once a permanent political solution is achieved. “The two main providers of public services are the Palestinian Authority and UNRWA. If none of them has a role to play, who will fill the vacuum?” he asked.
The ICJ judges heard a week of evidence in April from dozens of states and organizations, much of it focused on Israel’s obligations as an occupying power to facilitate humanitarian aid.
“The court considers that Israel is under an obligation to agree to and facilitate relief schemes provided by the United Nations (UN) and its entities, including UNRWA,” Iwasawa said.
The UN also asked the ICJ to clarify Israel's obligations, “including to ensure and facilitate the unhindered provision of urgently needed supplies essential to the survival [of Palestinians].”
In August, the UN declared a famine in Gaza, the first in the Middle East, warning that more than 500,000 Palestinians face “catastrophic” hunger amid Israel’s ongoing assault.
Amnesty International has accused Israel of pursuing a “deliberate policy” of starvation, saying it is “systematically destroying the health, well-being, and social fabric of Palestinian life.
Lazzarini welcomed "the unambiguous ruling" saying "with huge amounts of food and other life saving supplies on standby in Egypt and Jordan, UNRWA has the resources and expertise to immediately scale up the humanitarian response in Gaza and help alleviate the suffering of the civilian population."
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