Israel is instructed by the World Court to cease the Gaza famine

The World Court issued a ruling on Thursday ordering Israel to put an end to the spreading famine in Gaza. They demanded that Israel take all necessary and effective actions to ensure that basic food supplies reach the Palestinians in the region. This decision came as aid agencies reported that only a fifth of the needed supplies were actually entering Gaza, a war-torn area.

In the unanimous ruling from the International Court of Justice, the judges stated that Palestinians in Gaza were not just at risk of famine, but that famine was actually taking hold. They urged Israel to increase the capacity and number of land crossing points and keep them open for as long as necessary to facilitate the flow of goods.

South Africa had requested these new measures as part of their case accusing Israel of state-led genocide in Gaza. However, a senior Hamas official expressed disappointment in the ruling, stating that more needed to be done, such as ordering a ceasefire to end the suffering of the people in Gaza.

The UN Security Council had recently voted for an immediate ceasefire and the release of hostages, with the United States abstaining from the vote. Despite Israel claiming to be making efforts to expand humanitarian aid access to Gaza, aid agencies and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres have criticized the insufficient efforts, with a large number of trucks still blocked at the border. Israel’s foreign ministry did not immediately comment on the World Court ruling.