As the war in Sudan approaches a fourth year, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, and 123 partners appealed on Tuesday for $1.6 billion to support millions of people forced to flee the country in pursuit of safety.
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ICJ begins hearings on Israel’s humanitarian obligations in Palestinian territories
The United Nations’ International Court of Justice opened public hearings on Monday about Israel’s obligations to “ensure and facilitate” humanitarian aid into Palestinian territories.
The five days of hearings respond to a request made in December 2024 by the UN General Assembly, after Israel blocked the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, from operating on its territory.
In a resolution sponsored by Norway, the General Assembly requested an advisory opinion, a non-binding but legally important decision from the court, regarding Israel’s legal obligations.
Lawyers from more than 40 countries claim that Israel’s decision breaches the UN Charter.
Speaking on Monday morning, Palestinian representative to the Netherlands Ammar Hijazi told the ICJ that Israel was using aid blockage as “a weapon of war.”
Ardi Imseis, a professor of international law at Queen’s University who spoke “on behalf of the state of Palestine and the Palestinian people”, told the court that UNRWA possessed “experience, expertise and all-important community trust”, making it “absolutely vital.”
The UN agency said it reached 2 million people with food assistance in Gaza during the ceasefire that began on 19 January and was broken when Israel resumed its bombardments on 18 March.
Israel claims that Hamas has infiltrated UNRWA, an allegation that has been contested.
“Israel decided not to take part in this circus. It is another attempt to politicise and abuse the legal process in order to persecute Israel. The goal is to deprive Israel of its most basic right to defend itself”, said Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, speaking from Jerusalem as the hearings opened in The Hague. “This case is part of a systematic persecution and delegitimisation of Israel.”
The ICJ has already issued several rulings demanding that Israel let aid enter Gaza.
In July 2024, the court also ruled that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories was unlawful.
The new ICJ hearings open as the humanitarian aid system in Gaza is nearing collapse. Israel has blocked the entry of food, fuel, medicine and other humanitarian supplies into Gaza since 2 March.
Israeli airstrikes kill at least 27 people in Gaza
Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip overnight into Monday killed at least 27 Palestinians, according to local health officials. The Israeli military has not issued comments regarding the attacks.
An airstrike hit a home in Beit Lahiya, killing 10 people, including a Palestinian prisoner, Abdel-Fattah Abu Mahadi, who had been released as part of the ceasefire. His wife, two of their children and a grandchild were also killed, according to the Indonesian Hospital in Beit Lahiya, which received the bodies.
Another strike hit a home in Gaza City, killing seven people, including two women, according to the Gaza Health Ministry’s emergency service. Two other people were wounded.
Heba Abu Mahadi is the mother of a one-and-a-half-year-old who was killed in the attacks. “I got the news in the morning”, she said, holding the body of her son. “He was burned. The bones in his head are gone, a child like this.”
The bombardments and widespread hunger are taking a heavy toll on Gaza’s most vulnerable residents, including pregnant women and children.
Israel has carried out daily strikes on Gaza since it broke its ceasefire with Hamas on 18 March.
The country has also blocked fuel, food, medicine and other humanitarian supplies from entering Gaza since 2 March, in what it says is an attempt to pressure Hamas to release hostages. Hamas is still holding 59 hostages, 24 of whom are believed to be alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals.
The United Nations’ International Court of Justice on Monday began holding hearings regarding Israel’s legal obligations to “ensure and facilitate” humanitarian aid into Palestinian territories.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said the case was “part of a systematic persecution and delegitimisation of Israel.”
Israel has banned the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, to operate on its territory, claiming that it has been infiltrated by Hamas.
The Health Ministry says 2,151 people, including 732 children, have been killed since Israel shattered the truce on 18 March.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue the offensive until all the hostages are returned and Hamas is either destroyed or agrees to disarm and leave the territory.
Israeli jets also hit the southern suburbs of Beirut on Sunday, about an hour after issuing a warning, marking the third Israeli strike on the area since a ceasefire with Hezbollah took effect in late November. The Israeli army said it “struck a terrorist infrastructure site containing precision Hezbollah missiles.” Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun condemned the attack. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
Trump’s Speeches, Israel and UNRWA, KY Police Killing Retrial
Trump’s speeches have become more erratic and even profane, Israel has banned the UN agency for Palestinians refugees, UNRWA, and an ex-police detective accused of blindly firing shots into Breonna Taylor’s apartment in 2020 is on trial again for violating her civil rights.
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Malawi facing worst food crisis in decade, requires $81 million in relief aid says UN agency
More than 2.8 million people will face hunger in the coming months in the worst food crisis in a decade in Malawi, where a staggering four out of every 10 children suffer from stunting, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warned today.
“People in some affected districts have already started selling their livestock to make ends meet,” WFP said in a press release. “Women are also engaging in more firewood and charcoal selling, which degrades the environment and further aggravates the fragile climate.”
“The agency said more than 2.8 million people will face hunger in the coming months following severe floods and drought that ruined this year’s harvest.
“ “The floods early this year were the worst in living memory in Malawi, washing away homes and food stocks, and ruining fertile land,” it said. “Some crops managed to withstand the floods only to succumb to intense dry spells in the following months, making survival even more difficult for the most vulnerable.”
“Since the end of last year, WFP has provided relief assistance to avert hunger in households hit by poor rainfall during the 2013/14 growing season and the floods in early 2015. This operation has reached more than one million vulnerable people.
“WFP, which is financed entirely by voluntary contributions from governments, companies and private individuals, is less than 25 per cent funded for the $81 million relief operation that lies ahead.
“Additional contributions are urgently needed,” says WFP Representative for Malawi Coco Ushiyama.
WFP also said a swift response is imperative to save children’s lives and prevent worsening undernutrition, particularly stunting among children, which limits cognitive development, and has far-reaching effects on health and productivity over a lifetime.
“A recent Cost of Hunger in Africa report for Malawi estimated that stunting, which at 42 percent is among the highest in the region, costs the nation nearly $600 million annually,” the agency said.
“The WFP announcement comes a day after an appeal to the international humanitarian community made by the President of Malawi Peter Mutharika at the launch of the National Food Insecurity Response Plan on Monday.