Israel defied ICJ ruling and 'completely failed' to improve conditions in Gaza
Israeli authorities defied an International Court of Justice (ICJ) order that demanded sufficient life-saving food and medical supplies reach Palestinians on the brink of famine in the Gaza Strip, a group of aid organisations have said.
Oxfam, ActionAid, Islamic Relief and 32 other major aid agencies said in a report released on Tuesday that Israeli forces repeatedly blocked and restricted vital humanitarian aid from entering the besieged enclave.
A staggering 89 percent of the NGOs said Israel's actions had worsened since the ICJ’s ruling, with 93 percent agreeing that the situation for those receiving aid had deteriorated.
In January 2024, the ICJ delivered an interim ruling calling on Israel to refrain from impeding the delivery of aid into Gaza and improve the humanitarian situation there.
It also ordered Israel to take all measures within its power to prevent acts of genocide in the enclave and punish incitement to genocide, among other orders.
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All of the NGOs that were surveyed said that Israeli procedures for aid entry were either ineffective, had systematically impeded the humanitarian response, or were insufficient, and 95 percent of aid agencies reported they had regularly faced delays of up to two months whilst trying to import supplies.
"As the survey shows, Israel completely failed to improve humanitarian conditions, in disregard of international law, while systematically preventing life-saving aid from getting in. It is vital to assess past failures, even amid a ceasefire," Bushra Khalidi, Oxfam's policy lead, said in a press release.
"Without accountability and a commitment to protecting humanitarian operations, we risk repeating the same cycles of impunity and neglect, leaving millions without hope of a better future."
The aid organisations also reported essential items had been barred from entering Gaza, including personal protective equipment (PPE), tarpaulins, winterisation supplies, mobile kitchens, hygiene kits, food and educational materials being denied, as Israel insisted these items could be used for military purposes.
Israel's "dual use" procedure bars entry of materials it deems as being potential military equipment, including vital medical supplies.
Riham Jafari, the communication and advocacy coordinator at ActionAid, said: "It is essential that humanitarian access is not only immediate but sustained and unimpeded.
"The rights of Palestinians in Gaza must be protected from acts of genocide, and Israel must be held to account for its continued violations of international law.
"Without meaningful accountability, the suffering will only deepen, and the path to justice and peace will remain blocked."
The United Nations and other aid organisations repeatedly accused Israel of blocking aid entry into Gaza for most of 2024.
On 15 January, Israel and the Palestinian movement Hamas agreed to a ceasefire as part of an effort to bring an end to Israel's 15-month-long onslaught on the enclave that has killed at least 46,707 Palestinians.
Most of the dead are women and children, and with many bodies buried under the rubble, experts believe the actual toll is much higher.
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