The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ordered Israel to cooperate with humanitarian aid agencies in Gaza.
The highest court of the UN found Israel has an obligation “under international humanitarian law” to ensure people in Gaza have “the essential supplies of daily life”.
The ICJ issued the legal opinion following a request from the UN General Assembly.
Israel has rejected the finding.
Gaza
Since Israel and Hamas agreed to a U.S-led ceasefire plan earlier this month, both sides have accused each other of breaking it.
Israel accused Hamas of failing to return the bodies of hostages taken in October 2023. Hamas said it cannot reach the bodies because of the rubble from Israel’s bombardment of Gaza.
Hamas has accused Israel of continued ceasefire violations, including “crimes of direct gunfire against civilians, deliberate shelling and targeting, and the arrest of a number of civilians“.
On Sunday, Israel claimed Palestinian militants killed two soldiers in an Israeli-controlled area of southeastern Rafah — labelling the incident “a blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement”.
Hamas said it was “unaware of any events or clashes taking place in the Rafah area”.
Shortly after accusing Hamas of breaking the ceasefire, Israel restricted humanitarian aid and bombed Gaza, killing at least 44 people.
ICJ
The ICJ (also known as the World Court) rules on disputes between states, and hands down opinions on legal issues brought to it by the UN.
It’s currently reviewing a case brought by South Africa, accusing Israel of committing and failing to prevent genocide in Gaza.
Last year, the UN General Assembly requested a separate legal opinion on Israel’s obligations in Gaza, after it blocked the UN Relief Works Agency (UNRWA) from working in Israel over claims some staff were involved in the 7 October attacks.
Israel controls every access point into Gaza, which meant it had effectively barred UNRWA from taking humanitarian aid there.
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In August 2024, UNRWA said it had fired nine staff members who an internal investigation found “may have been involved” in the attacks.
After ten months of proceedings, the ICJ handed down its advisory opinion on Wednesday.
The court found Israel had “not substantiated its allegations that a significant part of UNRWA employees ‘are members of Hamas... or other terrorist factions’.”
Aid obligations
As an “occupying Power” in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem, the court found Israel is required to ensure people in these areas have access to basic supplies.
This includes “food, water, clothing, bedding, shelter, fuel, medical supplies and services”.
While Israel withdrew its army from Gaza in 2005, the ICJ found in 2024 that “the degree of its effective control” over the enclave means it is still bound by the laws of occupation, including international humanitarian law.
Response
In a post to X, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said the country “categorically rejects” the ICJ’s opinion.
It accused the UN of not fully investigating what it called “Hamas’ infiltration” of UNRWA.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres told The Associated Press the decision was “very important,” and that he hopes “Israel will abide by it.”
The ICJ does not have powers of enforcement.
The ceasefire specifies that the Rafah border crossing (between Gaza and Egypt) be reopened to allow the flow of international humanitarian aid.
However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the crossing will stay closed “until further notice,” in response to the missing hostages.
It means aid delivery into Gaza is currently reduced to two crossings along the Israeli border.
The UN’s World Food Programme said neither crossing is located in northern Gaza, where food access remains “extremely dire”.
