CAIRO, April 28 (MENA) - Egypt presented verbal arguments before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Monday concerning Israel's obligations as an occupying power in the occupied Palestinian territories, following a UN General Assembly request for an advisory opinion.

Represented by Ambassador Hatem Abdel Kader and Dr Yasmine Moussa, Egypt argued that Israel's systematic violations of international humanitarian and human rights law aim to impose a fait accompli and de facto annexation of Palestinian territories. They cited public statements, Knesset legislation, and actions undermining UNRWA to obstruct the Palestinian right of return, a fundamental aspect of self-determination.

Egypt highlighted forced evictions and displacements under the guise of "eviction orders," leading to the transfer of Palestinians to areas lacking basic necessities and obstructing access to essential supplies, creating uninhabitable conditions in Gaza.

According to Egypt: “Since October 2023, Israel has weaponized starvation and total siege against Gaza, deliberately closing crossings and preventing the entry of vital supplies, alongside its renewed aggression. This has resulted in 52,000 civilian deaths, predominantly women and children, and the targeting of civilians and essential infrastructure, compounded by attacks on medical and humanitarian workers, causing a humanitarian catastrophe.”

Egypt's arguments focused on Israel's obligations under the UN Charter, the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, and international humanitarian and human rights law to ensure the unimpeded provision of urgent supplies and assistance.

Egypt asserted that Israel has breached these obligations by systematically targeting civilians and relief organizations, imposing legal and administrative obstacles to humanitarian aid, and directly attacking humanitarian infrastructure, including bombing the Rafah crossing and seizing its Palestinian side.

The subsequent military offensive on Rafah, a haven for over a million Palestinians and a key humanitarian hub, severely damaged humanitarian operations, halting aid delivery from the vital Rafah crossing as agencies withdrew for safety, according to Egypt. The Egyptian delegation requested the Court to declare Israel's prolonged occupation of Palestinian territories a continuous violation of international law, obligating Israel, as an occupying power, to fulfill its responsibilities until the occupation ends.

Specifically, the delegation urged the Court to affirm Israel's duty to redress damages by immediately lifting the Gaza siege, ensuring unimpeded delivery of essential supplies through all crossings, implementing Security Council Resolution 2735, agreeing upon and facilitating an urgent relief plan for Palestinian civilians, refraining from obstructing the UN and its agencies (including UNRWA) and humanitarian assistance from third countries, repealing illegal laws targeting UNRWA, respecting UNRWA's and other UN agencies' privileges and immunities, and guaranteeing their protection.

Further, the delegation requested a declaration that the Palestinian people's right to self-determination includes economic, social, and cultural development on their land, encompassing the right to receive development assistance for recovery and reconstruction and freedom from displacement or expulsion. (MENA)
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