World Court Orders Israel to End Hunger in Gaza: Unanimous Ruling Demands Increased Food Supplies

On Thursday, the World Court issued a ruling ordering Israel to stop causing hunger in Gaza by ensuring that basic food supplies reach Palestinians in need. The International Court of Justice unanimously asked Israel to take all necessary and effective measures to secure the necessary supplies to the war-torn enclave. Aid agencies have reported that only about one-fifth of needed supplies are currently entering Gaza.

According to the judges of the World Court, Palestinians in Gaza are not only at risk of starvation, but are already experiencing starvation. The court ordered Israel to increase the capacity and number of land crossings to facilitate the flow of essential supplies and to keep them open as long as necessary. Israel was given a month to submit a report detailing whether it is complying with the ruling.

The measures were requested by South Africa as part of a case accusing Israel of state-led genocide in Gaza. A senior Hamas official welcomed the decision, but believes he should have gone further by demanding a cease-fire to end the suffering of the people of Gaza. The United Nations Security Council recently voted for an immediate ceasefire and the release of all hostages, with the United States abstaining.

Israel has said it is working to expand humanitarian access to Gaza in various ways, but aid agencies say those efforts are insufficient. The number of trucks blocked at the border was described by the UN Secretary General as a moral outrage. For now, there is no comment from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the World Court ruling.