The advisory opinion, while non-binding, carries substantial diplomatic and moral weight. It was requested in December by the UN General Assembly after the Israeli parliament passed laws banning Unrwa operations within Israel and cutting all official contact with the agency. The court was asked to assess Israel’s responsibilities as an occupying power under international law, particularly regarding the delivery of aid and cooperation with international organizations in both Gaza and the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
The ICJ’s president, Yuji Iwasawa, read the findings at The Hague, confirming that Israel, as the occupying power, must comply with international humanitarian law. The court ruled that Israel must ensure the people in the occupied territories have access to essential items like food, water, clothing, shelter, medical supplies, and fuel. It must also allow and assist in all relief efforts for the population whenever they lack such essentials, as has been the case in Gaza. The judges further noted that Israel must refrain from actions such as forcibly transferring civilians or using starvation as a method of warfare.
Judge Iwasawa added that Israel has a duty to cooperate in good faith with the United Nations, providing full assistance in any UN actions and respecting the privileges, immunities, and property of the organization. This includes protecting UN premises, personnel, and assets from interference. The court reaffirmed that Israel’s restrictions on Unrwa and other agencies contradict its international obligations.
UN Secretary General António Guterres called the court’s decision “very important” and said he hoped Israel would follow it. He highlighted that the ruling came at a time when the UN is working to expand aid operations to respond to what he called a “tragic situation” in Gaza. Philippe Lazzarini, Unrwa’s Commissioner-General, welcomed the ruling as “unambiguous,” saying that the agency is ready to rapidly scale up its humanitarian response with large quantities of food and supplies waiting in Egypt and Jordan.
Israel’s foreign ministry, however, dismissed the ICJ’s opinion as political and biased. It claimed that Israel fully complies with international law and accused Unrwa of being “infested with terror activities.” Israeli officials said they would not cooperate with the agency, maintaining their stance that it employs members of Hamas and other militant factions. Israel’s government insists that it allows enough food into Gaza and rejects UN warnings of famine.
Unrwa, which employs around 12,000 Palestinians in Gaza, has consistently denied the Israeli allegations. The agency said it had dismissed a small number of employees after internal investigations found some might have been linked to the Hamas-led attack on Israel in October 2023, when about 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 taken hostage. Unrwa stated that other accused staff were cleared due to lack of evidence. The ICJ confirmed that Israel had not provided sufficient proof to back its claims of widespread infiltration or lack of neutrality within the agency.
Since Israel banned Unrwa in January, the agency’s local staff have continued their humanitarian and educational work despite being unable to bring aid through official Israeli crossings or renew visas for international workers. Unrwa reports that more than 300 of its staff and support personnel have been killed since the start of the war, along with over 68,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
The World Food Programme said recently that around 750 tonnes of supplies have been entering Gaza daily under a ceasefire agreement, but that the need far outweighs the available aid. International observers have warned of a humanitarian catastrophe, with hundreds of thousands of Palestinians facing severe hunger and lack of medical care.
Sam Rose, Unrwa’s acting Gaza director, welcomed the ICJ’s position, stating that it reinforces Israel’s legal obligations and condemns its restrictions on aid. The Palestinian foreign ministry also hailed the ruling, saying it made clear that Israel’s bans on Unrwa and other humanitarian operations were unlawful. It urged Israel to immediately lift those bans and allow all international organizations invited by Palestine to work freely and safely in the occupied territories.
The decision has drawn global attention to Israel’s ongoing blockade of Gaza, which intensified after its war with Hamas began two years ago. Israel’s refusal to cooperate with Unrwa and other aid bodies continues to hinder relief efforts, leaving Gaza’s 2.1 million residents in worsening conditions. The ICJ’s opinion adds pressure on Israel from the international community, even though the court cannot enforce its rulings. The judgment reflects a growing divide between Israel and the United Nations over humanitarian access, neutrality, and accountability in one of the world’s most protracted and devastating conflicts.