THE HAGUE — Amid the ongoing Israeli military aggression on the besieged Gaza Strip and the blockade of humanitarian aid, Saudi Arabia renewed its strong condemnation of the Israeli atrocities and barbaric aggression on unarmed civilians. "Israel has turned the Gaza Strip into a pile of rubble," said Ambassador Mohamed Saud Alnasser, Saudi Arabia's representative to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), in The Hague on Tuesday. In a statement delivered before the ICJ, Ambassador Alnasser reaffirmed that nothing can justify Israel's blatant violations of the international law in the Gaza Strip, the occupied West Bank, and East Jerusalem. "Less than a year ago, the court heard that Israel's policies and practices in the occupied territory, including its settlement practices, its continued occupation and its annexation of parts of that territory are flagrant violations of international law that must be brought to an end as a matter of urgency," said Alnasser. "Sadly, but predictably, Israel chose to ignore the court's ruling, showing it considered itself above the law," he said. Alnasser emphasized that Israel continues to ignore the court's orders and increase its violations, noting the importance of the ICJ's opinion in obligating Tel Aviv to allow the access of humanitarian aid. "The obligations of Israel to allow the UN, other international organizations and third states to carry out activity in the occupied Palestinian territory – including providing such assistance – could truly make a difference between life and death for many people," he said. "Nothing justifies such barbarity," he said referring specifically to the situation in the Gaza Strip. Israel's blockade of aid and continuous bombardment of civilian population are a means for "bringing about the ethnic cleansing of the Gaza Strip, displacing or killing the Palestinian population to make room for Israel to settle and annex the territory. Israel's hideous conduct, which piles illegality upon illegality, is well documented – its most ruthless application has been the siege conditions imposed over the Gaza Strip since October 2023." Alnasser also noted that Israeli acts have led to inhumane conditions in the Gaza Strip, killing more than 200 UNRWA employees and attacking the agency's headquarters and warehouses. "Tel Aviv continues to ignore calls to allow aid into Gaza, and has attacked and looted UNRWA facilities and warehouses," he said while pointing out that the United Nations has refuted Israeli allegations questioning its neutrality. The Saudi representative's statement came as the ICJ opened a week of hearings on Israel's humanitarian obligations towards the Palestinians, more than 50 days after it imposed a comprehensive blockade on the entry of aid into the war-torn Gaza Strip. The ICJ is hearing statements from numerous countries and organizations as it prepares an advisory opinion on Israel's humanitarian responsibilities toward Palestinians. UN representatives began a five-day marathon hearing at the ICJ, the highest UN court in The Hague, Netherlands, on Monday morning before a panel of 15 judges. It is worthy to note that Israel controls all international aid flows, which are vital to the 2.2 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, which is suffering from an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. Israel cut off this aid on March 2, just days before a fragile ceasefire collapsed after 15 months of continuous fighting.
