World Court of Justice Orders Israel to Ensure Food Supplies to Gaza’s Palestinians Amid Spreading Famine

According to Reuters, the World Court of Justice has unanimously ruled in favor of South Africa’s accusations of genocide in Gaza, ordering Israel to take immediate and effective action to ensure an adequate supply of basic food to the Palestinian population and to mitigate the widespread famine in the region.

In the midst of the raging battle between Israeli forces and Palestinian fighters near Gaza’s Al Shifa Hospital, the armed wings of Hamas and Islamic Jihad reportedly launched rocket and mortar attacks against Israeli soldiers and tanks.

Judges Confirm Famine Spreading in Gaza, Urgent Additional Measures Needed

The International Court of Justice, also known as the World Court, has expressed deep concern over the deteriorating conditions in Gaza, warning that the spread of famine and starvation has reached critical levels. In their ruling, the judges stated, “The court acknowledges that the risk of famine in Gaza has escalated to the point where it is now an overwhelming reality.” South Africa, in its ongoing case accusing Israel of state-led genocide in Gaza, had requested these urgent measures to be taken.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry has not yet issued an official statement responding to the court’s ruling. Israel, however, has emphasized its ongoing efforts to expand humanitarian aid access to Gaza via land routes, airdrops, and sea transport to the Mediterranean coast.

The Israeli military has announced that its forces continue to operate in and around Gaza’s Al Shifa Hospital, albeit its initial storming of the facility over a week ago. The military has claimed to have eliminated approximately 200 armed individuals while also assuring the protection of civilians, patients, medical teams, and equipment.

Dire Shortages of Food, Water, and Medicine Trigger Humanitarian Crisis

Gaza’s health ministry has reported that wounded individuals and patients are being inadequately provided for within an administrative building in Al Shifa which lacks the necessary resources to deliver proper healthcare. Tragically, due to a scarcity of food, water, and medical care, the Hamas-run ministry has confirmed the deaths of five patients since the commencement of the Israeli raid on the hospital.

Al Shifa, once the largest hospital in the Gaza Strip, had been partially functional before the war, catering to medical needs and offering temporary shelter to displaced civilians. The hospital is mayhem and chaos, impacting the healthcare services available to the large population in northern Gaza.

Ismail Al-Thawabta, the director of the Gaza Hamas-run government media office, has categorically denied the Israeli army’s claims of executing civilians within the Shifa complex, accusing them of spreading false narratives. Al-Thawabta stated, “Everyone inside the Shifa complex are civilians, and there are no military personnel within the compound.”

Unverified footage shared on social media exhibits the surgery unit at Al Shifa engulfed in flames, surrounded by destroyed or set ablaze nearby buildings. The armed wings of Hamas and Islamic Jihad have claimed joint responsibility for the reported bombardment of Israeli soldiers in the vicinity of the Al-Shifa Complex.

Among the chaos, Islamic Jihad targeted an Israeli tank near the hospital with an anti-tank rocket while the Israeli military asserted that Hamas had fired upon its troops from both inside and outside the ER building. This exchange of attacks only exacerbates the already dire situation.

Israel maintains that its military operations focus on dismantling Hamas terrorist groups that exploit civilian buildings, including hospitals and apartment blocks, for cover. Hamas denies utilizing such tactics. The health ministry in Gaza reports a total death toll of at least 32,552 Palestinians, with 74,980 individuals wounded since the initiation of Israel’s military offensive on the Gaza Strip on October 7. Huge numbers of Palestinians remain buried under piles of rubble, and more than 80% of Gaza’s 2.3 million population face displacement, with famine looming as a significant risk. The war initially erupted after Hamas terrorists breached the border and carried out deadly attacks on communities in southern Israel, resulting in the death of 1,200 individuals and the abduction of 253 hostages, according to Israeli estimates.

Additional Hospitals Under Siege, Humanitarian Crisis Intensifies

Reports from residents indicate that Israeli forces continue their blockade of Al-Amal and Nasser hospitals in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, as other areas face relentless Israeli fire.

The Palestinian Red Crescent, in a recent statement, highlighted the release of seven members of their organization, including Mohammed Abu Musabeh—the director of ambulance and emergency services in the Gaza Strip. They had been detained for 47 days following the violent raid on Al-Amal hospital on February 9. However, eight members are still being held in Israeli prisons. The World Health Organization has disclosed that Al-Amal Hospital has ceased functioning as a result of the on-going conflict, further restricting the already limited healthcare facilities available across the Gaza Strip.

Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has spoken out against the continued attacks on hospitals in Gaza, demanding immediate cessation to the aggression and emphasizing the need for the protection of health workers, patients, and civilians.

Reports suggest that in Rafah, where over a million individuals have found shelter, eight people were killed and several others were wounded in an Israeli airstrike on a house. Israel announced plans for a ground offensive into Rafah, deemed the current hideout of the majority of Hamas fighters. The United States, Israel’s closest ally and leading arms supplier, opposes the proposed ground offensive, expressing concerns over the high risk it poses to civilian lives.

When approached for comment, the US State Department spokesperson, Matthew Miller, acknowledged the ICJ’s order and stated that the department would review it before issuing an official reaction, while highlighting the US’s continuous support for increased humanitarian assistance to Gaza. However, Miller clearly stated that the US does not view the situation as a genocide and does not deem it appropriate or constructive to use such a term in this context.