(October 22, 2025)

223. For these reasons,

THE COURT ,

(1) Unanimously,
Finds that it has jurisdiction to give the advisory opinion requested;

(2) Unanimously,
Decides to comply with the request for an advisory opinion;

(3) Is of the opinion that the State of Israel, as an occupying Power, is required to fulfil its obligations under international humanitarian law. These obligations include the following:

(a) Unanimously,
to ensure that the population of the Occupied Palestinian Territory has the essential supplies of daily life, including food, water, clothing, bedding, shelter, fuel, medical supplies and services;

(b) By ten votes to one,
to agree to and facilitate by all means at its disposal relief schemes on behalf of the population of the Occupied Palestinian Territory so long as that population is inadequately supplied, as has been the case in the Gaza Strip, including relief provided by the United Nations and its entities, in particular the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, other international organizations and third States, and not to impede such relief;
IN FAVOUR: President Iwasawa; Judges Tomka, Abraham, Xue, Nolte, Charlesworth, Brant,
Gómez Robledo, Cleveland, Tladi;
AGAINST: Vice-President Sebutinde;

(c) Unanimously,
to respect and protect all relief and medical personnel and facilities;

(d) Unanimously,
to respect the prohibition on forcible transfer and deportation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory;

(e) Unanimously,
to respect the right of protected persons from the Occupied Palestinian Territory who are detained by the State of Israel to be visited by the International Committee of the Red Cross; and

(f) Unanimously,
to respect the prohibition on the use of starvation of civilians as a method of warfare;