Israel Rejects ICJ's Opinion, Accuses UNRWA Of Helping Terrorists

Illustration of humanitarian aid trucks for Gaza. (Twitter/@PalestinineRCS)

JAKARTA - Israel firmly rejects the opinion of the International Court's (ICJ) adviser regarding the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, again accusing the United Nations (UN) aid agency of assisting Palestinian militant groups known as terrorists, in a statement on the Israeli Foreign Ministry website.

"Israel firmly rejects the opinion of the ICJ's advice, which can be fully predicted from the start regarding UNRWA," the ministry wrote on its website, using the United Nations Acronym and Work Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East. October 23.

"This is another political attempt to impose political action on Israel under the guise of international law," the ministry added.

The ministry further said ICJ's opinion should pay attention to terrorist activities involving UNRWA, accusing the agency's staff of being directly involved in the October 7, 2023 attack and assisting a Palestinian militant group Hamas called terrorists.

"Hamas' terror activity within UNRWA occurred before the October 7 massacre, during the massacre, and after the massacre. Israel provided the United Nations with extensive evidence proving Hamas' infiltration to UNRWA, but the United Nations has never fully investigated the level of infiltration," the ministry wrote.

"Until today, UNRWA still employs more than 1,400 Hamas operators. Israel will not cooperate with organizations full of terror activities," the ministry added.

As previously reported, the ICJ on Wednesday gave an advisory opinion stating Israel is obliged to ensure the basic needs of the civilian population in the Gaza Strip, Palestine are met.

The panel, which consists of 11 judges of the United Nations' highest legal entity (UN), added that Israel supports aid efforts provided by the United Nations and its entities, including UNRWA.

"As a occupation force, Israel is obliged to ensure the basic needs of local residents, including an important supply for their survival," Chief Justice Yuji Iwasawa said.

Judge Yuji added that basic needs include food, water, shelter, fuel, and medical services.

"Israel fully upholds its obligations under international law. Israel completely rejects the politicization of International Law, which seeks to produce political results and imposes actions aimed at harming the State of Israel," the ministry said.

Israel banned UNRWA from operating in Gaza last year, claims some of its staff are members of the Hamas militant group or other affiliate associations.

Last August, the United Nations said nine UNRWA staff may have been involved in the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023 against Israel and have been fired. Israel said another UNRWA employee who died in Gaza in October 2024 was also a Hamas commander.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the United Nations had not fully investigated the extent of Hamas' involvement in UNRWA, saying Israel would not cooperate "with organizations full of terror activities".

ICJ judges on Wednesday ruled Israel could not prove its claim that a large number of UNRWA employees were members of Hamas.

It is known that UNRWA, which serves millions of Palestinians by managing schools and distributing aid, employs more than 30,000 people.