The International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued an order on Thursday affirming that a famine is beginning to set in in the Palestinian territory, specifically Gaza, and ordered Israel to provide urgent humanitarian aid to the region. The ICJ stated that Israel must fulfill its obligations under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide by ensuring the provision of basic services and humanitarian assistance without delay and on a large scale in Gaza. The court recommended that aid to Gaza be provided by increasing the capacity and number of land crossing points and keeping them open as long as necessary.
South Africa filed a request before the ICJ on February 13, expressing grave concern over the further impact of Israel’s military offensive in Rafah, which it feared would lead to more casualties, injuries, and destruction. South Africa had previously accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza and welcomed the ICJ’s decision to order Israel to prevent such acts. The ICJ’s orders are binding, but it has no means of enforcing them.
The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza has been exacerbated by a war triggered by an attack by Hamas in Israel. The majority of Gaza’s 2.4 million inhabitants face famine, according to the UN, with 100% of the population experiencing serious food insecurity. While humanitarian aid arrives in Gaza sporadically through land routes controlled by Israel, some countries are dropping supplies by air, sometimes at the cost of human lives. The situation in Gaza remains dire, with the international community and organizations working to provide necessary aid and support.