Dozens of countries are set to present arguments when the case begins, but it can take a few months for the court to issue the award.
Israel faces allegations of breaching international law by refusing to grant assistance to Gaza at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) during its weekly hearing, which begins Monday in The Hague.
As events progress in the Netherlands, dozens of countries are set to present arguments.
Israel cut off supplies to the 2.3 million residents of the Palestinian enclave on March 2, and is said to have been stockpiled during the ceasefire at the beginning of the year.
In a Norway-sponsored December resolution, the UN General Assembly stated, “We have called for a non-binding but legally significant decision from the court regarding Israel’s obligations in occupied areas to ensure and promote the urgently necessary supply essential to the survival of the Palestinian civilian population.
After the hearing, it could take the court several months to form that opinion.
ICJ advisory opinions have legal and political weight, but they are non-binding and the courts have no authority to enforce them.
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Israel has said it will not allow goods and supplies to enter Gaza until Palestinian extremist group Hamas releases all remaining hostages.
After Israel repeatedly said aid was not permitted to put pressure on Hamas, Germany, France and the UK last week called on Israel to comply with international law by allowing Gaza to not hamper the passage of humanitarian aid that would not be blocked by humanitarian aid.
On Friday, US President Donald Trump said he forced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to allow food and medicine to the strip.
Israel repeatedly accused Hamas of hijacking humanitarian aid that had been put into Gaza.
Hamas denied the allegations and denounced Israel of the shortage.
The resolution adopted in December by the 137 countries of the 193 countries of the United Nations General Assembly called on Israel to comply with its obligations to Palestinians as it expressed “significant concern” about the dire humanitarian situation.
Israel, the United States and 10 other countries voted against the resolution, with 22 abstaining.
The United Nations first addressed the court on Monday, followed by a Palestinian representative.
In total, 40 states and four international organizations will participate, with Israel not among them.
Palestinian ambassador to Dutch Ammar Hijazi has accused Israel of violating international law in occupied areas.
“Israel is targeting and blocking humanitarian organisations while starving, killing and banishing Palestinians,” he told the court.
The five-day hearing is scheduled to run until Friday, with the US set to speak out on Wednesday.
Israeli Foreign Minister said Monday that the ICJ hearing was part of his country’s “systemic persecution and outlawing.”
During a live briefing, Foreign Minister Gideon Saa said the court was “fully politicized” and labelled it as “shameful.”
“I condemn the UNRWA, condemn the UN, condemn the Secretary-General, and weaponizing international law and its institutions to take away the most attacked nations in the world.
The United Nations sees Gaza and the West Bank as territories under Israeli occupation and international humanitarian law, calling for occupation rights to promote relief programs and ensure food, health, hygiene and public health standards.
On October 7, 2023, more than 3,000 Hamas terrorists attacked dozens of Israeli communities and military pre-post bases near Gaza Frontier.
They killed 1,200 people, mostly Israeli civilians, injured thousands, and brought 251 hostages with them to Gaza.
Israel’s counterattack against Hamas in Gaza turned into an ongoing war.
Gazan health officials say more than 50,000 people have been killed in the war. Israel says almost half of them were Hamas members.
The two-month ceasefire ended on March 18th after negotiations collapsed and negotiations held by Israel to exchange hostages for Palestinian prisoners.
