US, Hungary isolated as world slams Israel at UN court
At The Hague, global powers accuse Israel of breaching humanitarian law while Washington and Budapest defend its actions as lawful
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (MNTV) — On the third day of landmark hearings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, the United States and Hungary stood nearly alone in defending Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Speaking on behalf of Washington, Joshua Simmons, senior official at the U.S. State Department, said Israel’s conduct does not necessarily violate international law, pointing to Article 59 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
“In the law of occupation, military and humanitarian interests converge,” Simmons argued, adding that Israel retains discretion to limit United Nations Relief and Works Agency or UNRWA’s operations if they conflict with security concerns.
“There are serious concerns about UNRWA’s impartiality,” he told the court, repeating Israeli allegations that some UNRWA staff were involved in the October 7 Hamas-led attacks.
“Given these concerns, it is clear that Israel has no obligation to permit UNRWA specifically to provide humanitarian assistance.”
Hungary echoed this defence, standing as the only other country so far to justify Israel’s actions.
However, their statements were swiftly rejected by many, including Palestinian ambassador Ammar Hijazi, who said the US intervention “ignored the many layers of duties of an occupying power” and described Hungary’s comments as “Israeli talking points not worth comment.”
In sharp contrast, Russia, Indonesia, France, and Türkiye strongly condemned Israel’s blockade of Gaza and its dismantling of humanitarian infrastructure.
Russia’s legal representative Maksim Musikhin warned that “Gaza balances on the brink of famine,” citing the total blockade since March 2 and calling the situation a “humanitarian catastrophe of unprecedented scale.”
“Without UNRWA, Gaza’s humanitarian system will collapse,” Musikhin said, proposing UNRWA be nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for its work. Russia dismissed U.S. and Hungarian arguments as legally flawed, adding: “This is a crisis of legality and humanity.”
Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Sugiono insisted that Israel’s actions violate the UN Charter and deprive Palestinians of their right to self-determination.
“Israel has consistently imposed its nefarious policies in utter disrespect to international law,” he said.
“No country should be above the law.”
France’s representative Diego Colas called on Israel to lift all aid restrictions “without delay,” urging the opening of Gaza crossings and full cooperation with UN agencies.
“Israel is under an obligation to provide full assistance to the action of UNRWA,” Colas stated.
Türkiye’s Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yılmaz delivered one of the strongest condemnations.
“Israel is using hunger as a weapon,” he declared.
“The international community has gravely failed to stop the aggression that has killed tens of thousands, mostly women and children.”
He added that Tel Aviv’s actions, including the blockade and attacks on UNRWA, violated the ICJ’s own provisional measures and could amount to genocide.
Citing the killing of Turkish-American aid worker Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, Yılmaz called on the court to reaffirm international law and push for justice.
Despite defending Israel, even the U.S. expressed support for resumed aid. “To be clear, the United States supports the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza,” Simmons said, albeit with conditions ensuring it’s not “looted or misused.”
But for many present at the hearings, these assurances rang hollow.
Ambassador Hijazi highlighted the contradiction, “Everybody knows that Israel is using humanitarian aid as a weapon of war. They are starving the population.”
The hearings, which continue this week, are widely seen as a legal and moral turning point in international efforts to address the Gaza crisis.
The ICJ’s advisory opinion, while not binding, could reshape global policy on Israel’s accountability as an occupying power and its treatment of international humanitarian institutions.
The proceedings, examining Israel’s legal responsibilities as an occupying power, were triggered by Tel Aviv’s October 2023 ban on the UNRWA, the primary humanitarian provider for over 5.9 million Palestinian refugees.
Since then, over 290 UNRWA staff have been killed and 830 attacks on its facilities documented, prompting sharp global criticism.
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