Israel has urged the International Court of Justice (ICJ) not to mandate emergency humanitarian aid measures for Gaza amid warnings of an impending famine.
This plea was in response to South Africa’s recent plea for interim measures aimed at preventing starvation in Gaza, which Israel criticized as “morally repugnant.”
In a legal submission to the top United Nations court, disclosed on Monday, Israel stated, “It has real concern for the humanitarian situation and innocent lives, as demonstrated by the actions it has and is taking” in Gaza.
Israel’s legal representatives refuted accusations of intentionally causing humanitarian distress in the blockaded enclave, where tens of thousands of Palestinians have perished and hunger is escalating.
They asserted that South Africa’s repeated pleas for additional measures constitute an abuse of procedures.
The contention arises against the backdrop of South Africa’s lawsuit, accusing Israel of genocide following Hamas’s attacks on October 7.
The ICJ, in January, had directed Israel to avoid actions potentially violating the Genocide Convention, amidst Israel dismissing the genocide claims as unfounded.
Despite these legal skirmishes, humanitarian agencies report critical restrictions on essential supplies to Gaza, home to 2.3 million people.
Israel’s imposition of a blockade on Gaza since the October attacks, including a halt on crucial fuel supplies, has intensified concerns over a “man-made” famine.
The UN’s World Food Programme recently announced a dire warning of imminent famine in northern Gaza, with 70% of the population facing extreme hunger.
Since October, the ongoing offensive in the strip has resulted in the deaths of nearly 32,000 individuals, as reported by health officials in Gaza.
European Union’s leading diplomat, Josep Borrell, declared that the looming famine in Gaza was “entirely man-made,” highlighting that starvation is being wielded as a weapon of war.
Borrell stated, “Trucks are stopped. People are dying while the land crossings are artificially closed.”
South Africa’s request to the ICJ is the second time the country has asked the court for additional measures, following its initial request to pressure Israel to halt an offensive against the southern Gaza city of Rafah in February, which was denied.
