The International Criminal Court issued a shameful ruling in favor of the terrorist group Hamas.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued an advisory opinion stating that Israel has the legal obligation to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip by the United Nations and its agencies, in order to ensure that the basic needs of the Palestinian population are met.

The court also determined that Israel did not present sufficient evidence to demonstrate that the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) lacks neutrality or that a significant number of its employees belong to Hamas or other armed groups.

The president of the ICJ, Yuji Iwasawa, read the opinion in The Hague, where he explained that the eleven international judges agreed that Israel, as the occupying power, is obligated under international humanitarian law to ensure the well-being of Palestinian civilians.

Among its responsibilities, he highlighted the duty to guarantee the supply of food, water, medicine, fuel, clothing, and shelter, as well as to allow and facilitate by all possible means assistance programs in the occupied territories, particularly in Gaza.

The ruling, requested by the UN General Assembly last December, is non-binding. The request came after the approval of an Israeli law that prohibits all UNRWA activity in its territory and contact between Israeli officials and the agency, which has severely affected the delivery of aid to Gaza.

Since January, Israel has also prevented the entry of supplies managed by UNRWA and has stopped issuing visas for its international staff.

The decision comes amid a severe humanitarian crisis. After the start of the war with Hamas two years ago as a result of the October 7 invasion, Israel tightened the blockade on Gaza.

Before the recent truce, more than 640,000 people faced catastrophic levels of food insecurity due to the actions of Hamas terrorists and the situation was described as a "completely man-made famine." Israel rejected those accusations, asserting that it allows sufficient aid to enter.

The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, described the ruling as "a very important decision" and expressed his hope that Israel will respect it, highlighting the organization's efforts to increase the delivery of aid and address the "tragic situation" in Gaza.

However, the Israeli government categorically rejected the court's opinion, calling it "political and predictable." Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the ruling seeks to impose political measures under the guise of international law and reiterated that the country fully complies with its legal obligations, but that it will not cooperate with an organization infested with terrorist activities.

Israel has repeatedly accused UNRWA of being infiltrated by Hamas and of having employed more than 1,400 members of the group. It also alleges that some agency workers participated in the October 7, 2023 attack, when Hamas activists cold-bloodedly killed more than 1,200 people and kidnapped 251 in southern Israel.

The UN, meanwhile, acknowledged having dismissed nine employees suspected of participating in those events, while another ten were exonerated for lack of evidence. The ICJ concluded that the available information "was not sufficient" to demonstrate UNRWA's lack of neutrality.

Currently, the agency continues to operate with about 12,000 Palestinian employees in Gaza, providing education, health, and humanitarian assistance. According to UNRWA, at least 309 organization workers and 72 external collaborators have died since the start of the war. Gaza's Ministry of Health, controlled by Hamas, puts the number of Palestinians killed during the conflict at more than 68,000.