By Zo Terrana
Staff Writer
The International Court of Justice, the United Nations top legal body, stated that Israel must grant “The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East” or UNRWA to provide humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territory.
The court, which is based in The Hague, Netherlands was asked by the U.N. General Assembly last year to settle Israel’s legal obligations after Israel decided to enact laws banning the agency from operating in Gaza. UNRWA is the main provider of Gazan aid to the Palestinian people according to AP News.
Israel has barred the UNRWA from administering aid supplies since March 2025. However the agency is operating in Gaza, including running health centers, mobile medical teams, sanitation services and children school classes. According to AP News, the agency has reported it has 6,000 trucks of supply waiting to enter the territory.
The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ridiculed the UNRWA, saying that the group is infiltrated by Hamas. The agency has rejected that claim.
The U.N. court stated that the population of the Gaza strip had been insufficiently supplied and that Israel was required to protect the basic needs of the Gaza population, according to AP News.
An advisory opinion made last year by the U.N. court stated Israel's occupation in the Palestinian territory was unlawful, calling an end to the Israeli occupation. The ruling by the ICJ levied moves to unilaterally recognize the Palestinian state according to AP News.
The United States State Department echoed these claims made by the Israeli government, rebuffing the ruling from the ICJ on Oct. 22 according to Politico.
Posting on X, the State Department stated, “Another corrupt ruling by the ICJ. As President Trump and Secretary Rubio work tirelessly to bring peace to the region, this so-called "court" issues a nakedly politicized non-binding "advisory opinion" unfairly bashes Israel and gives UNRWA a free pass for its deep entanglement with and material support for Hamas terrorism.”
According to Politico, the Trump administration has been looming the decision of cutting ties with the UNRWA due to claims that various members were involved in the Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel.
However the ICJ stated that Israel, “has not substantiated its allegations that a significant part of UNRWA employees ‘are members of Hamas ... or other terrorist factions.’”
The ICJ said the UN’s Office of Internal Oversight Services conducted an investigation in coordination with Israel into 18 UNRWA staff members and dismissed nine members who may have been involved in the Oct. 7 attack.
The court stated that the investigators found no significant evidence to support the participation of the other ten investigated persons, as stated by Politico.
The court also stated that Israel should “co-operate in good faith” with the U.N. by administering assistance to the Gaza region.
The court wrote in a statement, “The State of Israel has an obligation under international human rights law to respect, protect and fulfill the human rights of the population of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including through the presence and activities of the United Nations, other international organizations and third States, in and in relation to the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”
