UN representative opens proceedings at the ICJ
Elinor Hammarskjold, a Swedish lawyer and diplomat who has served as the UN’s undersecretary-general for Legal Affairs and its Legal Counsel since 2025, is currently speaking at the ICJ.
Here are some of her main points:
- No humanitarian aid or commercial goods have been allowed into Gaza since March 2, which has had devastating humanitarian consequences. The secretary-general continues to call for humanitarian aid to reach all people in need.
- International humanitarian law obligations apply to the conduct of Israel with regards to the occupied civilian territory, which includes respecting the decisions of the representatives of the Palestinian people to receive basic goods and services from the UN entities to fully enjoy their right to self-determination.
- At least 295 UN personnel have died since the conflict began.
- UN entities provide vital services and development aid in the Palestinian territories.
- Israel must administer the territory for the benefit of the local population, facilitate relief schemes, support institutions for children’s care and education, and maintain medical and hospital services, including those established by the UN.
She went on to say that as the Knesset rules and judgements against UNRWA appear to exercise Israeli sovereignty over Palestinian territory, Israel is therefore in contravention of the various treaties.
She said the devastating Israeli air strikes on Gaza continue, and that the UN has been forced to reduce its presence in Gaza, even as the need for aid dramatically increases.
Palestine’s representative has just presented his oral argument
Ammar Hijazi, who is Palestine’s ambassador to the Netherlands, has just concluded his oral argument. Here are some of his main points:
- Israel has not allowed food, water, medicine, medical supplies, or fuel into Gaza for over two months, with the Israeli Supreme Court supporting this policy by rejecting multiple petitions for aid, leading to a man-made humanitarian catastrophe, including deaths by starvation.
- The UN secretary-general has described Gaza as a “killing field”.
- There is no doubt about the court’s jurisdiction to hear this case; the legal questions are valid under international law, and the issue of Palestine is central to the UN’s mandate, as reaffirmed in previous advisory opinions.
- The State of Palestine will present evidence showing how Israel’s actions in Gaza and the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) aim at permanent annexation, ethnic cleansing, and violate Palestinians’ fundamental rights and existence.
- Israel is an unlawful occupying power standing trial for genocide, and its PM is wanted by the ICC.
- Israel is attempting to destroy the Palestinian people and erase Palestine, including by barring and obstructing humanitarian organisations, thus also violating its obligations under the UN Charter and other instruments of international law.
Ammar Hijazi, ambassador and permanent Palestinian representative to international organizations in the Netherlands
