THE HAGUE (Reuters) – U.N. and Palestinian representatives at the International Court of Justice accused Israel of breaking international law by refusing to let aid into Gaza, on the first day of hearings about Israel’s obligations to facilitate aid deliveries.

Since March 2, Israel has completely cut off all supplies to the 2.3 million residents of the Gaza Strip, and food stockpiled during a ceasefire at the start of the year has all but run out.

At the opening of the hearings at the U.N.’s top court, the U.N.’s legal counsel said Israel had a clear obligation as an occupying force to allow and facilitate humanitarian aid for the people in Gaza.

“In the specific context of the current situation in the occupied Palestinian Territories, these obligations entail allowing all relevant U.N. entities to carry out activities for the benefit of the local population,” Elinor Hammarskjold said.

Palestinian representative Ammar Hijazi said Israel was using humanitarian aid as “a weapon of war”, while people in Gaza were facing starvation.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Israel had submitted its position in writing to the hearings, which he described as a “circus”.

Speaking in Jerusalem on Monday, Saar said the court was being politicized, while the U.N. was failing to root out employees of its Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA who are members of Gaza militant groups.

“They are abusing the court once again to try and force Israel to cooperate with an organization that is infested with Hamas terrorists,” Saar said. “The goal is to deprive Israel of its most basic right to defend itself.”

UN Said 9 UNRWA Staff May Have Been Involved in Hamas’ Attack

The U.N. said in August that nine UNRWA staff may have been involved in Hamas’ October 7, 2023 assault and had been fired. Another Hamas commander, confirmed by UNRWA as one of its employees, was killed in Gaza in October, according to Israel.

The ICJ, also known as the World Court, was tasked in December to form an advisory opinion on Israel’s obligations to facilitate aid to Palestinians that is delivered by states and international groups, including the United Nations.

Israel has repeatedly said it would not allow the entry of goods and supplies into Gaza until Hamas releases all remaining hostages. It has accused Hamas of hijacking humanitarian aid, which the militant group denies.

“This case is about Israel destroying the fundamentals of life in Palestine, while it blocks the U.N. and other providers of humanitarian aid from providing life-saving aid to the population,” Hijazi, the head of the Palestinian mission to the Netherlands, told the hearing.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday said he had pushed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to allow food and medicine into Gaza. Germany, France and Britain last week called to allow the unhindered passage of humanitarian aid into the besieged Palestinian territory.

Advisory opinions of the ICJ carry legal and political weight, although they are not binding and the court has no enforcement powers.

After the hearings, the World Court will likely take several months to form its opinion.

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(Reporting by Bart Meijer, additional reporting by Maayan Lubell in Jerusalem; Editing by Ros Russell)