UN Refugee Agency Urges Israel To Comply With ICJ Order To Avert Famine, Humanitarian Crisis In Gaza

The UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) on Friday hailed the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for ordering Israel to take measures "without delay" to ensure "the unhindered provision" of basic services and humanitarian aid, describing it as a stark reminder that the catastrophic situation in Gaza is man-made and worsening.

"The renewed binding order from the ICJ yesterday is a stark reminder that the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is manmade and worsening," UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini wrote on X.

Despite the severity of the situation, Lazzarini expressed a glimmer of hope, saying, "It can however still be reversed."

In a Thursday order, the ICJ urged Israel to take immediate measures to ensure the "unhindered provision" of basic services and humanitarian aid, such as food, water, fuel, and medical supplies. The top UN court said, "Palestinians in Gaza are no longer facing only a risk of famine ... but that famine is setting in."

"Cooperation means that Israel must reverse its decision and allow UNRWA to reach northern Gaza with food and nutrition convoys on a daily basis and to open additional land crossings," Lazzarini explained.

"Member states should exert more pressure to implement the ICJ order," he urged, asking member states to act decisively.

Additionally, he urged those who had ceased funding UNRWA to reconsider their decision, highlighting the vital role of the agency in preventing famine and fulfilling its mandate.

"Those who stopped funding UNRWA should reconsider their decision to allow the Agency to fulfill its mandate, including help averting famine."

Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7 cross-border attack led by Hamas in which nearly 1,200 Israelis were killed.

More than 32,600 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in Gaza, besides causing mass destruction, displacement, and conditions of famine.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which in an interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio -