ICJ Orders Israel to Facilitate Gaza Aid, Citing Breaches of International Law

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has issued a significant advisory opinion, ordering Israel to permit the unimpeded entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza. The ruling, delivered on October 22, 2025, found that Israel's previous restrictions on aid violated its international obligations, intensifying pressure amid a severe humanitarian crisis in the region.

theguardian.com reported, The UN's top court in The Hague emphasized Israel's duty as an occupying power to ensure essential supplies reach the Palestinian population. This includes cooperating fully with UN organizations, particularly the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which the court deemed indispensable for aid delivery.

The ICJ explicitly rejected Israel's claims that UNRWA was not a neutral organization or that it had been significantly infiltrated by Hamas. The court stated that Israel had not provided adequate evidence to substantiate these allegations.

washingtonpost.com noted, This advisory opinion stems from a request by the UN General Assembly in December, prompted by Israel's parliament ending cooperation with UNRWA in October. The court's findings highlighted the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, where famine conditions were declared in August.

Israel, however, has dismissed the ICJ's findings, with its foreign ministry stating it "categorically rejects" the court's opinion. Israel maintains it fully upholds its obligations under international law, despite the court's detailed critique.

unrwa.org reported, The ruling also asserted that Israel had a duty not to impede the supply of aid by UN organizations and found that mass transfers or deportations of a population in an occupied territory are prohibited under the Geneva Conventions.

International reactions have been swift, with France urging Israel to comply with its obligations under international law and remove all obstacles to aid delivery. China also called on the global community to adhere to the ICJ's guidance to ease the humanitarian crisis.

• The ICJ's advisory opinion, delivered on October 22, 2025, found that Israel's restrictions on humanitarian aid to Gaza over the past two years constituted a breach of its international obligations. The court underscored Israel's responsibility as an occupying power to ensure the provision of essential supplies to the civilian population. This ruling came after a request from the UN General Assembly, highlighting the severe and worsening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
• A critical aspect of the ruling was the ICJ's affirmation of UNRWA's indispensable role in humanitarian assistance. The court stated that Israel had not produced sufficient evidence to justify its cessation of cooperation with UNRWA, rejecting claims of the agency's lack of neutrality or infiltration by Hamas. This finding directly challenges Israel's legislative actions from October that banned UNRWA's operations.
• The court's findings were comprehensive, including an assertion that the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains catastrophic, with massive casualties. International food experts had already declared a famine in parts of Gaza in August. The ICJ also found that Israel had used starvation as a method of warfare, pointing to blockades of all UN aid from March to May.
• Israel's Foreign Ministry promptly rejected the ICJ's advisory opinion, calling it a "political attempt" and asserting that Israel "fully upholds its obligations under international law." This rejection aligns with Israel's historical stance of labeling UN bodies as biased against it, and it remains to be seen what practical impact the non-binding opinion will have on the ground.
• The ruling also addressed broader aspects of Israel's conduct in the occupied territories, including the West Bank and East Jerusalem. It called for Israel to facilitate, not just allow, aid delivery and reminded Israel of its obligations to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross access to Palestinian prisoners.
• The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has been exacerbated by ongoing aid rejections by Israeli authorities, even following a ceasefire that began on October 10, 2025. Between October 10 and 21, 2025, 99 requests by international NGOs to deliver aid were rejected, with many denials citing that organizations were "not authorized."
• This ICJ advisory opinion builds upon previous legal actions concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In July 2024, the ICJ delivered an advisory opinion determining that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories since 1967 is unlawful and that Israel should end this occupation. These rulings collectively underscore a growing international legal scrutiny of Israel's actions.
• The international community's response has been notable, with France urging Israel to comply with the ruling and China calling for global adherence to the ICJ's guidance. These statements reflect a widespread concern among nations regarding the humanitarian situation and the adherence to international law in the region.