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Gulf Today
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Today
Making food a political issue throttles Gaza lives
In a world where 757 million people face chronic hunger, and 45 million children suffer from wasting due to acute malnutrition, Gaza stands out as unique. War, drought, earthquakes, and other natural disasters are responsible for starvation in other places. Gaza is the only territory where a hostile foreign power illegally occupying Gaza is deliberately depriving the population of food, water, fuel, and medical supplies. Weaponising food is prohibited under international law. Last week the International Court of Justice (ICJ) held five days of hearings on how Israel is violating its international legal obligations as the illegal occupier of Gaza, East Jerusalem, and the West Bank. Envoys addressing the hearings focused on Israel's 60-day total blockade, the longest closure Gaza has faced so far. It is not known when and how aid deliveries will resume. Israel is, reportedly, trying to design a means of delivering food packages directly to Gazan's 2.3 million people. This would ensure Israeli control and exclude the involvement of international aid organisations. They are sharply critical of the two-month blockade and the resumption on March 18th of bombing and ground attacks in Gaza which have killed more than 2,300 and injured 6,000 Palestinians, the majority women and children. The ICJ hearings, mandated by the UN General Assembly, included submissions from 49 nations and organisations. Among the most telling interventions came from the director of legal affairs at Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry Mohamed Saud Alnasser. He stated, 'Less than a year ago, the court heard that Israel's policies and practices in the occupied territory, including its settlement practices, its continued occupation and its annexation of parts of that territory are flagrant violations of international law that must be brought to an end as a matter of urgency.' He added, 'Sadly, but predictably, Israel chose to ignore the court's ruling, showing it considered itself above the law'. He condemned Israel's 'hideous conduct' in Gaza where it has imposed 'siege conditions' since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7th, 2023. During the first two days of the hearings, speakers were highly critical of Israel's actions. On the third day, however, a US State Department legal adviser, Joshua Simmons, expressed disagreement by saying that Israel need not work with UNRWA, the UN agency which is the main provider and conduit for aid deliveries in Gaza. He said there is 'no legal requirement that an occupying power permit a third state or international organisation to conduct activity that would compromise its security interests.' Israel has banned cooperation with UNRWA as Israel claims 19 of UNRWA's 13,000 staff participated in Hamas' attack. International humanitarian agencies have castigated Israel and launched appeals for its friends to exert pressure to allow live saving aid to flow immediately. Britain and France have called upon Israel to lift the siege and blockade, and ceasefire and US President Donald Trump said on April 25th he had told Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to allow food and medicine into Gaza. Israel has replied that the blockade would continue until all 59 of the Israeli captives of Hamas are released. Israel accuses Hamas of diverting aid, which both Hamas and aid agencies deny. Before the ongoing war, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation said agriculture accounted for 'approximately 10 percent of Gaza's economy, with more than 560,000 people relying entirely or partially on cropping, herding, or fishing for their livelihoods.' The UN reports the war has devastated Gaza's farmland and grazing areas, and destroyed the fishing fleet, making Gazans totally dependent on supplies from outside the Strip and vulnerable to malnutrition. 'Not a drop of water, not a grain of wheat' has entered Gaza since March 2nd, UNRWA spokeswoman Juliette Touma told the BBC. In an e-mail to Gulf Today she said that supplies entering during the ceasefire 'are running out quickly. It's been two months of a tight siege; Gaza is a place that is highly dependent on imports from outside. Every day, Gaza needs 500-600 trucks of supplies (commercial and humanitarian).' She called for an end to the blockade and aid to flow to 'match the unprecedented need.' International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Deputy Director of Operation Pascal Hundt said in a statement, 'Civilians in Gaza are facing an overwhelmingly daily struggle to survive the dangers of hostilities, cope with relentless displacement, and endure the consequences of being deprived of urgent humanitarian assistance.' He added, 'This situation must not — and cannot — be allowed to escalate further.' World Health Organisation (WHO) head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called the Gaza situation 'catastrophically bad. We are breaking the bodies and minds of the children of Gaza.' His deputy Michael Ryan told reporters, 'We are starving the children of Gaza. We are complicit.' He continued, 'As a physician I am angry. It is an current level of malnutrition is causing a collapse in immunity.' Ryan warned that cases of pneumonia and meningitis in women and children could increase. On April 25th, the World Food Programme (WFP) delivered the last of its stocks of flour to bakeries and rice, lentils, tomato paste and tinned vegetables to kitchens which have prepared hot meals. WFP director Cindy McCain told US public radio, 'There's nothing left. There's no place to go for food anymore.' She added. 'Food is not political. And to make food political is something that is unconscionable, number one, but number two, it just shouldn't happen.' In its annual report released last month Amnesty International wrote, 'Israel's relentless military offensive on the occupied Gaza Strip intensified the long-standing humanitarian crisis caused by Israel's 18-year unlawful blockade of Gaza.' After Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007, Israel besieged, blockaded, and waged war on Gaza in 2008-2009, 2012. 2014, 2021 and 2024-2025. These wars have not only killed Gazans and devastated the Strip but also deprived them of stability and a decent standard of life and diminished their physical and psychological resistance to trauma and deprivation. On February 8th this year, the British medical journal The Lancet published a study by Michel Guillot, Mohammed Draidi, José H C Monteiro Da Silva, and Ismail Lubbad who reported that life expectancy fell steeply during the first year of the war that began in October 2023. They found life expectancy fell by more than 30 years during the first 12 months of the war, nearly 'halving pre-war levels' of the mid-seventies for both men and women.
Business Mayor
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Mayor
Israel has no duty to allow UN aid agency into Gaza, says US state department lawyer
Israel's urgent security needs override its obligations to provide aid to Palestinians in Gaza, a US state department lawyer has told the international court of justice (ICJ). Joshua Simmons spoke as the United Nations' top court hears a case on Israel's ban on cooperation with Unwra, the UN's main agency for Palestinians. He said that Israel had no duty under the Geneva convention to cooperate specifically with Unrwa, due to its concerns about the organisation's links to Hamas – an allegation that has been fiercely contested. Simmons addressed the ICJ in The Hague on the third day of the hearing and the 60th day of Israel's complete ban on any aid, food or water entering Gaza. The ban applies to all agencies, but in October the Knesset voted to end all cooperation with Unrwa specifically, bringing its operations to a halt. Last week, Donald Trump said he had personally urged Benjamin Netanyahu to allow aid into Gaza, but Israel has said the ban would continue until all hostages held by Hamas are released. Trump said he told Israel's prime minister: 'We have got to be good to Gaza.' In December, the UN general assembly asked the ICJ to give an advisory opinion on Israel's obligations as an occupying power to provide humanitarian aid, and whether the ban on cooperation and contact with Unrwa breaches its privileges and immunities as a UN body. Simmons insisted in his alloted half-hour presentation that the US did want to see aid enter Gaza, but denied there was any unqualified legal obligation for Israel to allow this, either as the occupying power or as a UN member state. Read More Dame Jennifer Roberts obituary He argued that an 'expansive' ruling by the ICJ setting out Israel's obligations and any remedies would be damaging to the credibility of international law. 'Novel legal interpretations will not bring an end to the ongoing conflict. They will not bring the hostages home. They will not create a better tomorrow for Israelis, Palestinians and the region,' he said. 'To be clear, the United States supports the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, with the safeguards to ensure it is not looted or misused by terrorist groups. We encourage the international community to focus on advancing a ceasefire and on fresh thinking for a better future for Israelis and Palestinians alike.' He said the only issues to be addressed were whether Israel was obliged under the law of occupation to cooperate with a third party such as Unrwa to provide aid, and whether Israel had been directed to supply aid by the UN security council. The 13 judges at the start of Wednesday's proceedings in The Hague. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images Arguing that the court had heard little about Israel's legitimate security fears regarding Unwra, he added: 'You have heard concerns about Israel's decision to cease engagement with Unrwa. You have heard little, however, about the serious, credible concerns about Hamas misusing Unrwa facilities and humanitarian assistance. You have also heard little of Israel's security needs after the terrorist attacks on 7 October, 2023. These security needs persist today.' He said the evidence provided ample grounds for Israel to be concerned, and argued that nothing in the Geneva convention placed unqualified obligations on an occupying power to provide aid. 'An occupying power has obligations related to maintaining public order and safety and protecting the civilian population. It also has the right, while an occupier, to pursue its military objectives and govern enemy territory,' he said. 'The occupying power does not lose its right to ensure its own security.' He added that Israel has no obligation to permit Unrwa specifically to provide humanitarian assistance. 'Unrwa is not the only option,' he said. 'In sum, there is no legal requirement that an occupying power permit a specific third state or international organisation to conduct activities in occupied territory that would compromise its security interests.' He also questioned the right of the UN general assembly – representing all member states, as opposed to the 15-strong UN security council – to place any obligation on Israel to cooperate with Unrwa. 'The general assembly does not have the power to impose a perpetual obligation to cooperate with Unrwa,' he said. 'There should be no finding either as to compliance with any obligations identified in this proceeding, or as to the legal consequences of any alleged breach.' Israel, in its written submission to the court, argued that the ICJ does not have the necessary investigative tools to determine the competing claims, and that there is no full obligation on Israel to provide aid. It claimed that the case 'is part of an abusive and systematic campaign that regrettably weaponises international law, and international legal institutions, with the aim of depriving Israel of fundamental rights accorded to all sovereign states, including the right to defend itself.' It added: 'The obligations on a state under humanitarian international law are not unqualified and include the obligation of a state in acting to defend its existence, its territory and its people. Israel is fully committed to complying with international law, but that law is not a suicide pact.' Israel submitted written but not oral evidence to the court by a 28 February deadline, before the total ban came into effect. The ICJ's newly elected president, Yuji Iwasawa, a Japanese judge and professor of international law, is sitting with 12 other judges in the five-day proceedings.
Roya News
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Roya News
'Israel' not obliged to allow Gaza aid, US tells ICJ
On April 30, 2025, the United States presented its oral arguments before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague during hearings on 'Israel's' legal obligations to ensure humanitarian aid reaches Palestinian civilians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. The US position, articulated by envoy Joshua Simmons, sparked controversy for asserting that international law does not compel an occupying power, such as 'Israel', to facilitate humanitarian aid, while deflecting responsibility onto Hamas and questioning the neutrality of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Context of the Hearings The ICJ hearings, held from April 28 to May 2, 2025, were prompted by a December 2024 UN General Assembly resolution requesting an advisory opinion on 'Israel's' responsibilities under international law to allow unhindered humanitarian assistance to Palestinians. The resolution followed 'Israel's' near-total blockade of Gaza since March 2, 2025, which halted food, medicine, and fuel deliveries, plunging the region into famine-like conditions. Over 40 states and international organizations participated, with the US joining Russia, France, Hungary, and Indonesia in presenting statements on April 30. The US argument: Key points The US delegation, led by Joshua Simmons, made the following claims during the ICJ session: No legal obligation for 'Israel' to facilitate aid: Joshua Simmons argued that international humanitarian law does not impose a duty on an occupying power, such as 'Israel', to allow or facilitate humanitarian aid to occupied territories like Gaza. He claimed that the Fourth Geneva Convention and other legal frameworks do not explicitly mandate such actions, particularly when neutrality in aid distribution cannot be guaranteed. This position stunned legal observers, with critics like Heidi Matthews calling it 'legally incoherent' and akin to 'malpractice.' Concerns over UNRWA's neutrality: The U.S. says an occupier can determine which relief schemes it agrees to. It says an occupier can fulfill its obligations while advancing its military & security interests considering the relevant circumstances. *None of this means an occupier can intentionally obstruct aid to… — Heidi Matthews (@Heidi__Matthews) April 30, 2025 The US raised doubts about the impartiality of UNRWA, the primary UN agency delivering aid to Gaza. Joshua Simmons echoed 'Israeli' allegations that UNRWA is infiltrated by Hamas, citing unverified claims that some staff members participated in the October 7, 2023, attack. He suggested that this perceived lack of neutrality justifies 'Israel's' restrictions on UNRWA operations, including its January 2025 ban from operating within 'Israel'. Blaming Hamas for aid blockages: Joshua Simmons attributed Gaza's humanitarian crisis to Hamas, alleging the group diverts aid for military purposes. He argued that 'Israel's' blockade is a lawful response to prevent resources from reaching Hamas, despite evidence from the World Food Programme and Amnesty International showing that 'Israel's' restrictions have caused widespread starvation. The US position sidestepped 'Israel's' control over Gaza's borders and crossings, which effectively throttles aid delivery. Neutrality as a legal prerequisite: The US claimed that international law requires humanitarian aid operations to maintain strict neutrality. Joshua Simmons argued that the absence of neutral aid distribution mechanisms in Gaza relieves 'Israel' of any obligation to cooperate with UN agencies. This assertion ignores the dire conditions faced by civilians, with over 2.1million Palestinians struggling to access food and water. Defense of 'Israel's' actions as potentially lawful: Joshua Simmons defended 'Israel's' attacks on UN facilities and personnel in Gaza as potentially lawful, provided they comply with principles of distinction and proportionality under international humanitarian law. The US arguement focused on UNRWA's alleged bias relies on unproven 'Israeli' claims, dismissed by UN investigations as lacking corroborated evidence. By scapegoating Hamas, the US ignores 'Israel's' documented obstruction of aid, including the closure of Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings, which has left thousands of aid trucks stranded. The argument also sidesteps the US's own role, as a major supplier of military aid to 'Israel', in enabling the blockade and ongoing conflict.
The Guardian
30-04-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Israel has no duty to allow UN aid agency into Gaza, says US state department lawyer
Israel's urgent security needs override its obligations to provide aid to Palestinians in Gaza, a US state department lawyer has told the international court of justice (ICJ). Joshua Simmons spoke as the United Nations' top court hears a case on Israel's ban on cooperation with Unwra, the UN's main agency for Palestinians. He said that Israel had no duty under the Geneva convention to cooperate specifically with Unrwa, due to its concerns about the organisation's links to Hamas – an allegation that has been fiercely contested. Simmons addressed the ICJ in The Hague on the third day of the hearing and the 60th day of Israel's complete ban on any aid, food or water entering Gaza. The ban applies to all agencies, but in October the Knesset voted to end all cooperation with Unrwa specifically, bringing its operations to a halt. Last week, Donald Trump said he had personally urged Benjamin Netanyahu to allow aid into Gaza, but Israel has said the ban would continue until all hostages held by Hamas are released. Trump said he told Israel's prime minister: 'We have got to be good to Gaza.' In December, the UN general assembly asked the ICJ to give an advisory opinion on Israel's obligations as an occupying power to provide humanitarian aid, and whether the ban on cooperation and contact with Unrwa breaches its privileges and immunities as a UN body. Simmons insisted in his alloted half-hour presentation that the US did want to see aid enter Gaza, but denied there was any unqualified legal obligation for Israel to allow this, either as the occupying power or as a UN member state. He argued that an 'expansive' ruling by the ICJ setting out Israel's obligations and any remedies would be damaging to the credibility of international law. 'Novel legal interpretations will not bring an end to the ongoing conflict. They will not bring the hostages home. They will not create a better tomorrow for Israelis, Palestinians and the region,' he said. 'To be clear, the United States supports the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, with the safeguards to ensure it is not looted or misused by terrorist groups. We encourage the international community to focus on advancing a ceasefire and on fresh thinking for a better future for Israelis and Palestinians alike.' He said the only issues to be addressed were whether Israel was obliged under the law of occupation to cooperate with a third party such as Unrwa to provide aid, and whether Israel had been directed to supply aid by the UN security council. Arguing that the court had heard little about Israel's legitimate security fears regarding Unwra, he added: 'You have heard concerns about Israel's decision to cease engagement with Unrwa. You have heard little, however, about the serious, credible concerns about Hamas misusing Unrwa facilities and humanitarian assistance. You have also heard little of Israel's security needs after the terrorist attacks on October 7, 2023. These security needs persist today.' He said the evidence provided ample grounds for Israel to be concerned, and argued that nothing in the Geneva convention placed unqualified obligations on an occupying power to provide aid. 'An occupying power has obligations related to maintaining public order and safety and protecting the civilian population. It also has the right, while an occupier, to pursue its military objectives and govern enemy territory,' he said. 'The occupying power does not lose its right to ensure its own security.' He added that Israel has no obligation to permit Unrwa specifically to provide humanitarian assistance. 'Unrwa is not the only option,' he said. 'In sum, there is no legal requirement that an occupying power permit a specific third state or international organisation to conduct activities in occupied territory that would compromise its security interests.' He also questioned the right of the UN general assembly – representing all member states, as opposed to the 15-strong UN security council – to place any obligation on Israel to cooperate with Unrwa. 'The general assembly does not have the power to impose a perpetual obligation to cooperate with Unrwa,' he said. 'There should be no finding either as to compliance with any obligations identified in this proceeding, or as to the legal consequences of any alleged breach.' Israel, in its written submission to the court, argued that the ICJ does not have the necessary investigative tools to determine the competing claims, and that there is no full obligation on Israel to provide aid. It claimed that the case 'is part of an abusive and systematic campaign that regrettably weaponises international law, and international legal institutions, with the aim of depriving Israel of fundamental rights accorded to all sovereign states, including the right to defend itself.' It added: 'The obligations on a state under humanitarian international law are not unqualified and include the obligation of a state in acting to defend its existence, its territory and its people. Israel is fully committed to complying with international law, but that law is not a suicide pact.' Israel submitted written but not oral evidence to the court by a 28 February deadline, before the total ban came into effect. The ICJ's newly elected president, Yuji Iwasawa, a Japanese judge and professor of international law, is sitting with 12 other judges in the five-day proceedings.
The Guardian
30-04-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
US backs Israel's ban on Unrwa Gaza aid in international court of justice hearing
Joshua Simmons, the US state department's legal adviser, has said Israel 'has no obligation to permit Unrwa specifically to provide humanitarian assistance', adding that there are serious concerns about the impartiality of Unrwa, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees. Israel banned all cooperation with Unrwa's activities in Gaza and the occupied West Bank this year, claiming the agency had been infiltrated by Hamas, an allegation that is fiercely contested
