Hamas Welcomes ICJ Ruling Holding Israel Responsible for Genocide, Rejects Settlement Legalisation

By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu

The Palestinian group Hamas has hailed a new advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), saying the ruling confirms that Israel’s use of starvation against civilians in Gaza constitutes genocide and invalidates any attempt to legalise Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Hamas said the ICJ’s opinion reinforces Israel’s responsibility as an occupying power to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid and to refrain from applying its domestic laws in Palestinian territories.

The group described the decision as a “clear international acknowledgment” that Israel’s blockade and restrictions on aid have been used as tools of war.

The ICJ ruled that Israel must comply with its obligations under the Geneva Convention, allowing and facilitating humanitarian assistance from third parties and international organisations such as the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

The court found that Israel had failed to meet the basic needs of Gaza’s population and must therefore permit relief operations without interference.

According to the court, following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack that triggered Israel’s devastating military campaign, Israeli authorities severely restricted aid entry into Gaza.

The ruling noted that humanitarian and medical supplies were completely blocked from March 2 this year, resuming only in limited quantities after May 19.

The advisory opinion came in response to a UN General Assembly request in December 2024, asking the court to clarify Israel’s obligations concerning UN agencies, international organisations, and third states operating in the occupied Palestinian territories.

During the hearings held between April 28 and May 2, 2025, 39 countries and regional organisations, including the Arab League, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and the African Union, presented arguments supporting Palestinian rights under international law.

Hamas said the decision “affirms that Israel’s occupation is built on illegality and war crimes” and called for urgent global action to guarantee the unimpeded entry of food, fuel, and medicine into Gaza. The group urged the international community to ensure the ruling is enforced and to hold Israel accountable for what it described as “decades of impunity.”

The United Nations, Türkiye, and several Arab nations have also welcomed the ICJ’s ruling, urging Israel to comply immediately. Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry said the decision exposes Israel’s “continued violations of international law” and reaffirmed Ankara’s support for justice and the Palestinian right to self-determination.

The ICJ’s opinion is part of a broader international effort to assess Israel’s actions during the ongoing war in Gaza, which began after Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Since then, Israeli airstrikes and ground operations have killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and displaced millions.

Israel has long faced accusations of violating international law through its settlement expansion, blockade of Gaza, and treatment of civilians under occupation. The new ICJ ruling, while advisory and not legally binding, carries significant moral and political weight, deepening international scrutiny of Israel’s conduct in Gaza and the West Bank.

The decision also comes as Israel’s parliament advances new bills to annex parts of the occupied West Bank, a move widely condemned by Arab states and seen as a direct challenge to the two-state solution supported by the UN and much of the international community.