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The United Nations General Assembly voted on Thursday to ask the International Court of Justice for an opinion on Israel’s obligations to facilitate aid to Palestinians that is delivered by states and international groups including the UN.
The UN views Gaza and the West Bank as Israeli-occupied territory. International humanitarian law requires an occupying power to agree to relief programs for people in need and to facilitate them “by all the means at its disposal” and ensure food, medical care, hygiene and public-health standards.
Replace UNWRA?
In a letter to the 15-member Security Council on Wednesday, Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon said that “replacing UNRWA with relief schemes that will adequately provide essential assistance to Palestinian civilians is not at all impossible.”
Israel says UNRWA staff took part in the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. The UN has said nine UNRWA staff may have been involved and have been fired. A Hamas commander in Lebanon – killed by Israel – was also found to have had an UNRWA job.