UN chief hopes Israel will abide by ICJ advisory opinion

United Nations, Oct 23 (IANS) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres hopes that Israel will abide by the advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) concerning Israel's responsibilities in the occupied Palestinian territory, a UN Spokesperson said.

Guterres "added that the decision comes at a moment in which we are doing everything we can to boost our humanitarian aid in Gaza, and so the advisory opinion is decisive in order for us to deal with the tragic situation in which the people of Gaza still live," Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the UN chief, told a daily briefing on Wednesday.

Earlier on Wednesday, The Hague-based ICJ affirmed that Israel is obligated to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza, including assistance provided by UN agencies.

"The State of Israel, as an occupying Power, is required to fulfill its obligations under international humanitarian law," the court said in its legally non-binding advisory opinion.

The advisory opinion stems from a December 2024 request by the UN General Assembly, which asked the world court to clarify Israel's duties as an occupying power under international law and its responsibilities in ensuring unhindered humanitarian access and supporting UN operations and other humanitarian actors in the Palestinian territories, Xinhua news agency reported.

In December, the UN General Assembly asked the ICJ for an opinion on Israel's obligations, as an occupying power and a member of the UN, towards UN agencies and other international organisations operating in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

It came after the Israeli Parliament passed laws banning any activity by UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) on Israeli territory and contact with Israeli officials.

The ICJ was asked to also cover in its opinion Israel's duty to allow the unhindered delivery of essential supplies to Palestinian civilians.

Israel tightened its blockade on Gaza after the start of its war with Hamas two years ago and has since restricted -- and at times completely stopped -- the entry of food and other aid for the 2.1 million population.

Before this month's ceasefire deal took effect, UN-backed global experts had warned that more than 640,000 people were facing catastrophic levels of food insecurity and that there was an "entirely man-made" famine in Gaza City.

Israel rejected the famine declaration, insisting it was allowing in sufficient food.

--IANS

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