Why it matters: The Israeli regime has made all sorts of claims about the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), and these have been reported widely by mainstream Western media, with little or no independent inquiry into the veracity of such claims. The highly reputable International Court of Justice (ICJ), one of the principal judicial organs of the United Nations, has refuted and rejected Israel's wild claims about UNRWA, defending the United Nations Relief and Works Agency and praising its humanitarian role in providing vital relief to the Palestinian population of Gaza.
Driving the news: The nternational Court of Justice on Wednesday ordered Israel to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza, emphasizing its legal obligation as an occupying power to ensure Palestinians receive all essential goods for their survival, and rejecting Israeli claims that UNRWA, the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, was tied to Hamas. The court ruled that Israel “has not substantiated its allegations that a significant part of UNRWA employees are members of Hamas".
What Hamas is saying: The full satement by Hamas is as follows:
We welcome the advisory opinion issued today by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which refuted the false claims of the Zionist occupation entity against the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), affirming at the same time the vital humanitarian role of the agency, alongside other UN agencies, in providing relief to our Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.
The ICJ's ruling prohibiting the use of starvation as a method of war confirms that the occupation, which deliberately starves Palestinians, is committing a form of genocide.
ICJ further stressed that "Israel" as the occupying power, must refrain from imposing its own laws on the occupied Palestinian territories - a measure that obstructs all attempts to legitimize settlements or impose a fait accompli by force.
The Court's affirmation of the occupation's obligation to meet the urgent humanitarian needs of the Palestinian people in Gaza constitutes a clear call to the international community to act immediately to ensure the entry of humanitarian aid and prevent its politicization or use as a tool of pressure by the occupation.
Islamic Resistance Movement - Hamas
Go deeper: In July 2024, the ICJ ruled that Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories was “unlawful” and must end as soon as possible. Meanwhile, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and former war minister, Yoav Gallant.
M.Derakhshandeh - A.Akbari
