International Court of Justice: Israel must do more to provide supplies in Gaza

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague has not yet made a decision on South Africa’s lawsuit against Israel for genocide against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The ICJ now obliges Israel to ensure better humanitarian aid. The country should allow the delivery of significantly more aid supplies. The United Nations’ highest court in The Hague ordered that more border crossings should be opened for the transport of food and medical aid.

South Africa’s request complied with

The ICJ thus accepted a request from South Africa. His decisions are binding. Israel must now report to the court in The Hague within a month what measures it is taking to implement it. The court itself has no way of forcing its decisions to be enforced. But if this is violated, international pressure on Israel can increase even further.

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The court had already ordered emergency measures at the end of January and ordered Israel to do everything possible to prevent genocide in the Gaza Strip. Given the deteriorating situation in the war zone and the threat of famine, South Africa had called for additional measures. The court now agreed with this.

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Since the decision on January 26th, the “catastrophic living conditions have continued to deteriorate,” the decision states. The judges particularly mention the hunger crisis. “The court finds that the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are no longer just threatened by famine. This has already begun.” The court also cited a UN report that said at least 31 people, 27 of them children, died of malnutrition and dehydration.

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Israel must work closely with the United Nations to deliver aid, the court decision continues. The judges also include water, electricity, clothing and tents among the urgently needed relief supplies. Israel had rejected South Africa’s allegations: the deliveries of humanitarian aid would not be blocked. But the judges did not follow this representation.

Reminder: Ensure rights

The court also warned Israel to ensure that soldiers do not violate the rights of Palestinians, a population protected by the Genocide Convention. This includes not preventing the delivery of needed relief supplies.

• Also read: Israel confiscates 800 hectares of land in the occupied West Bank

Meanwhile, the Israeli army announced that it had killed a senior Hamas member during military operations at Shifa Hospital in the city of Gaza. Raad Thabit was among the top ten of the Islamist organization’s military wing, military spokesman Daniel Hagari said. According to observers, he also belonged to the inner circle of Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip, Yahya al-Sinwar. Hamas did not initially confirm his death.

• ZIB: Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has sent negotiators to Qatar and Egypt to discuss a ceasefire and the release of hostages. ZIB correspondent Nikolaus Wildner is cautious about the chances of a result.

900 arrests

According to Hagari, 900 suspects have been arrested so far during the operation in the largest clinic in the Gaza Strip. At least 513 of them are said to be members of Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). At the time of the siege of the clinic, there were still 350 patients and doctors in the hospital. According to the army, around 200 terrorists were killed in and around the hospital during the operation. The information could not be independently verified.