UN's top court says Israel obliged to allow UN aid into Gaza

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has said Israel is obliged to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip by the United Nations and its entities to ensure the basic needs of the Palestinian civilian population are met.

An advisory opinion from the UN's top court also said Israel had not substantiated its claims that the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa) lacked neutrality or that a significant number of its employees were members of Hamas or other armed groups. Unrwa rejects the claims.

Israel's ambassador to the UN called the ICJ's opinion on Unrwa "shameful".

While the opinion is non-binding, it carries significant moral and diplomatic weight.

The UN General Assembly asked the ICJ in December for an opinion on Israel's legal obligations towards UN agencies and international organisations operating in the occupied West Bank and Gaza.

It came after the Israeli parliament passed laws banning any activity by Unrwa on Israeli territory and contact with Israeli officials.

The ICJ was asked to also cover in its opinion Israel's duty to allow the unhindered delivery of essential supplies to Palestinian civilians.

Israel tightened its blockade on Gaza after the start of its war with Hamas two years ago and has since restricted - and at times completely stopped - the entry of food and other aid for the 2.1 million population.

Before this month's ceasefire deal took effect, UN-backed global experts had estimated that more than 640,000 people were facing catastrophic levels of food insecurity and that there was an "entirely man-made" famine in Gaza City.

Israel rejected the famine declaration, insisting it was allowing in sufficient food.