World Court Orders Israel to Ease Grip on Gaza Aid

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ordered Israel to relax its blockade on aid shipments into Gaza, saying Tel Aviv must stop interfering with deliveries as Palestinians face dire food and medicine shortages.

In a ruling issued on Thursday, the ICJ pointed to “the spread of famine and starvation” in the Gaza Strip, observing that the crisis was the result of Israel’s “extensive restrictions on the entry and distribution of humanitarian aid and commercial goods.”

The court ordered Tel Aviv to allow supplies into the territory “unhindered” and “in full cooperation with the United Nations,” prohibiting “any action” that would obstruct aid deliveries.

The ruling also stressed an “urgent need to increase the capacity and number of open land crossing points into Gaza and to maintain them open,” as there is “no substitute for land routes and entry points from Israel into Gaza to ensure the effective and efficient delivery of food, water, medical and humanitarian assistance.”