The International Court of Justice (ICJ) begins public hearings today for an advisory opinion on Israel's obligations towards the United Nations and its agencies and bodies in the occupied Palestinian territories.According to the ICJ's agenda, the hearings (oral arguments) will be held from April 28 to May 2, with 44 countries and four international organizations expressing their intention to participate in the arguments before the court, which will be held at the Peace Palace in The Hague.The five-day legal event will kick off in The Hague, where UN representatives will begin their arguments before the court's 15-judge panel, with the State of Palestine being the first to present its intervention.This week, 38 countries will present their arguments, including the United States, China, France, Russia, and Saudi Arabia, in addition to the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the African Union.This move comes in response to a resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 2024, proposed by Norway, which called on the ICJ to issue an advisory opinion outlining Israel's obligations to facilitate the delivery of urgent humanitarian supplies to Palestinians and ensure they are not obstructed.Israel controls all aid flows into the Gaza Strip, where some 2.4 million Palestinians rely on aid amid an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. Israel tightened its blockade in March, days before the ceasefire collapsed, following the Israeli government's violation of the agreement following 15 months of continuous fighting.Commissioner-General of UNRWA Philippe Lazzarini said, ‘Hunger is spreading and deepening – deliberate and man-made.’According to the UN, some 500,000 Palestinians have been displaced since the collapse of the two-month ceasefire, while Israel resumed its air and ground attacks on March 18, exacerbating the humanitarian catastrophe, which the UN has described as ‘perhaps the worst’ since the outbreak of the war.Although the ICJ's advisory opinions are not legally binding, such an opinion could increase international pressure on Israel. In January 2024, the court called on Israel to prevent any acts that could amount to genocide and to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. In March, it also demanded additional measures to address the widespread famine there, at the request of South Africa.In July 2024, the ICJ issued an advisory opinion describing the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories as ‘illegal’ and calling for its end as soon as possible. The court said that 42 countries and international organizations will participate in the oral arguments before the court, which are being held at the Peace Palace in The Hague.
