The International Court of Justice (ICJ), the United Nations’ top legal body, is set to issue an advisory opinion on Wednesday clarifying Israel’s obligations to UN and other humanitarian organisations operating in Gaza and the West Bank.
The opinion, requested by the UN General Assembly in December, is expected to address broader questions about the legal protections states must provide for UN personnel worldwide. Although ICJ advisory opinions are not legally binding, they carry significant political and moral influence and often shape international norms.
The case arises amid ongoing tensions over aid access in Gaza. In April, UN lawyers and Palestinian representatives accused Israel of violating international law by blocking humanitarian relief between March and May. While some aid has since been allowed into the enclave, UN officials insist it remains far below the level needed to avert a worsening humanitarian crisis.
A recent US-brokered ceasefire plan permits 600 aid trucks daily into Gaza. However, Israel has claimed Hamas diverts supplies—a charge the militant group denies—and said restrictions were part of efforts to exert pressure on Hamas. Israel did not attend the ICJ hearings but submitted a written defence, with Foreign Minister Gideon Saar dismissing the proceedings as a “circus” and accusing the court of politicisation.
The request for the advisory opinion followed Israel’s 2023 law banning the UN Palestinian refugee agency, UNRWA, from operating in its territory. Israel alleged that some UNRWA employees participated in the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023. The UN confirmed that nine staff members were dismissed over their alleged involvement, while another, identified as a Hamas commander, was later killed in Gaza in October 2024.
In a previous advisory opinion earlier this year, the ICJ ruled that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories was unlawful and should end immediately. The forthcoming opinion, expected at 3 p.m. (1300 GMT), could once again test the limits of international law and the world’s willingness to hold states accountable for their obligations under it.
Melissa Enoch
