SHOTLIST: - THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS (APRIL 29, 2025) (ANADOLU - ACCESS ALL) 1. GARDEN AND COURTYARD OF INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE 2. COURTROOM OF INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE 3. JUDGES AND PARTIES TO CASE IN COURTROOM 4. INTERNATIONAL DELEGATES LEAVING COURT THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS - APRIL 29: South Africa on Tuesday told the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that Israel is using starvation as a weapon against Palestinians in the occupied territories, breaching its international obligations. "International law prohibits Israel from the use of starvation as a method of warfare, including under siege or blockade, Israel may not collectively punish the protected Palestinian population, which it holds under unlawful occupation," South Africa’s representative Jaymion Hendricks said on day two of public hearings in The Hague. Hendricks said Israel has "deployed the full range of techniques of hunger and starvation, perfecting the degree of control suffering and death that it can cause through food systems, leading to this moment of genocide. Despite the horrific attempts by Israeli officials to characterize them otherwise, Palestinians are human beings." He emphasized that Israel "must therefore cooperate in good faith with the United Nations and render it every assistance," and that it "must comply with its obligations as an occupying power to ensure food and medical suppliers and facilitate the unhindered provision of humanitarian goods, essential services and development assistance by the UN, third states and other international organizations." Hendricks also stressed that Israel must "fully seize hostilities" and "immediately reverse its decision to expel UNRWA and other UN bodies from carrying out their mandated activities." On the UN’s role, Hendricks said it "must demand and negotiate for the removal of barriers imposed by Israel" and "must continue to render humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people" despite Israeli restrictions. He further said third states "have an obligation not to recognize Israel's internationally wrongful acts, including its banning of UNRWA (UN agency for Palestinian refugees) ... and to collaborate to bring such acts to an end," urging them to refrain from providing arms to Israel. Earlier, Zane Dangor, the head of South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation, told the court: "The humanitarian aid system is facing total collapse. This collapse is by design." Nokukhanya Jele, another South African representative, stressed that "Israel may not impose any measures specifically prohibited by international humanitarian law, such as mass forced displacements, the destruction of property, transferring in of colonial settlers, targeting schools and even targeting the school curriculum to erase the history of the Palestinian people." - 'Israel in breach of obligations' Algerian representative Samia Bourouba urged the ICJ to "declare that Israel is in breach of its legal obligations as a member of the UN with regard to the organization and as an occupying power." Bourouba decried the lack of a response against Israeli actions. "In view of the violations committed by Israel, we are witnessing a lack of effective reaction from the international community," she said. Maya Sahli Fadel, also representing Algeria, stressed that humanitarian aid should never be used as "a political bargaining chip or a weapon of war." "Saving lives must never be a controversial issue," she said. "The principles of international law that have been developed over the centuries that aim at protecting civilians should not be swept aside, and impunity should not persist." Saudi Arabia: Israel ignored provisional orders, intensified Gaza crisis Saudi Arabia told the ICJ that Israel has disregarded the court’s legally binding provisional orders and worsened the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. "The court's ruling marked a clear path for Israel to follow and finally bringing itself into international legality," said Mohammed Saud Alnasser, the Saudi representative at the hearings, referring to a March 2024 ruling ordering Israel to allow the "unhindered provision" of aid to Gaza. "Sadly, but predictably, Israel chose to ignore the court's ruling, showing that it considered itself above the law." Alnasser said Israel "ignored those orders, as it has similar calls made by other UN bodies, international organizations and concerned states,” and instead “has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis and turned the Gaza Strip into an unlivable pile of rubble, while killing thousands of innocent and vulnerable people." Citing Israel's responsibilities towards UN premises in Gaza, he said: "Israel’s failure to guarantee the inviolability of UN premises can never be justified on grounds of military expediency or national security." Alnasser added that Saudi Arabia “takes this opportunity to reaffirm its unconditional commitment to the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state with the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its Capital. This unwavering position is non-negotiable and is not subject to compromises." Professor Vaios Koutroulis, speaking for Belgium, said that Gaza is once again faced with the risk of famine and malnutrition, warning that water access and sanitation remain "very limited and very unequal." Koutroulis stressed that Israel’s humanitarian obligations "must be interpreted and applied in good faith," and that "it is prohibited to attack paramedics and humanitarian workers." Israel's "military and security interests must be exercised in compliance with international law and not in spite of international law," he underlined. Colombia's representative, Mauricio Jaramillo Jassir, for his part, said Israel is breaching its duty by "impeding the provision of basic services and humanitarian aid to the Palestinian population." He said Israel must refrain from "attacking, destroying, removing or rendering useless the goods and assets essential to civilian survival" and guarantee safe access for medical personnel and ambulances. Jassir also criticized Israel's actions against UNRWA, saying that by hampering the work of international organizations, Israel is "condemning the population of Gaza to a worsening humanitarian crisis." - Humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza consequence of Israel’s 'colonial, genocidal actions' Bolivia told ICJ that the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza is a direct result of Israel's "colonial and genocidal actions" on top of the "unlawful occupation" which recognized by the top UN court. "Today, that unlawful situation (occupation) is compounded by a humanitarian catastrophe, particularly in Gaza, marked by devastating loss of life, widespread destruction and the systematic obstruction of essential life saving aid, which is desperately required as a direct consequence of Israel's colonial and genocidal actions," said Bolivia's representative Roberto Calzadilla Sarmiento during public hearings in The Hague. He said Israel "continues to impose severe and deliberate impediments to the delivery of essential aid and the vital work of the UN," deepening the suffering of the Palestinian population. Calzadilla called on the court to issue an advisory opinion to provide "valuable legal clarification to UN organs assisting them in relation to the discharge of their functions concerning the long-standing question of Palestine and the current humanitarian crisis." An opinion would also clarify "whether obstructing or failing to facilitate aid amounts to a violation of international law, as well as the rights of third states urgently seeking to alleviate a humanitarian crisis in an occupied territory and uphold the right of civilians to receive humanitarian assistance," he said. Ralph Wilde, also speaking on behalf of Bolivia, said international law creates "a paradoxical perverse situation" where, although Israel’s presence is unlawful and should end, its continued defiance triggers obligations affecting other actors. "On the one hand, as the court determined the presence is unlawful and should therefore end as rapidly as possible," Wilde said. "On the other hand, because Israel defies the court and continues its illegal presence, obligations are then triggered, committing it to decide on the presence of other actors, and do so against the wishes of the only legal persons entitled to do this." "We respectfully request that the court safeguard the state's ability to discharge its special legal duty to act by affirming Israel's obligations not to interfere in this," he concluded. - ICJ advisory opinion 'sorely, urgently needed' Brazil's representative Marcelo Viegas, during public hearings in The Hague, said that an advisory opinion on Israel’s conduct in the occupied Palestinian territory is urgently needed as the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate. "In this troubling context, the present advisory opinion is sorely and urgently needed," said Viegas, referring to the Israeli blockade of food, medicine and other essential supplies from entering the territory. He condemned obstacles to humanitarian aid, saying: "Physical barriers to humanitarian assistance, such as border closures, travel restrictions and denial of re-entry, are also unacceptable." "Compliance with the Fourth Geneva Convention and the rulings of this court is not optional. It is a legal imperative," he said. He also called on Israel to cease measures against the UNRWA. Brazil hopes, according to the representative, the court will affirm that the Palestinian people have an inalienable right to self-determination and an independent sovereign state, that Israel as the occupying power must comply with international humanitarian law, and that, as a UN member, Israel must fulfill its obligations under the UN Charter in good faith. The Israeli army renewed its assault on Gaza on March 18, shattering a Jan. 19 ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement. Over 52,300 Palestinians, most of them women and children, have been killed in Gaza in a brutal Israeli onslaught since October 2023.