The ICJ judges unanimously decreed that Israel must promptly undertake all measures to guarantee the delivery of essential food to Palestinians in Gaza.

Qatar on Saturday welcomed the International Court of Justice’s order that Israel facilitate the entry of essential food supplies to the Gaza Strip without delay.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs pointed out the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stresses that the war in the Gaza Strip has created a tragic humanitarian reality, which continues to worsen day by day as a result of the obstacles imposed on the entry of relief aid, and the targeting of civilians, including children and women in the areas where aid is distributed,” the statement on Saturday read.

The ICJ judges unanimously decreed on Thursday that Israel must promptly undertake all essential and efficient measures to guarantee the delivery of food to the Palestinians in Gaza.

In a unanimous decision, the United Nation’s top court said Israel had to act “without delay” to allow the “provision… of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance.”

This follows stark warnings that famine could hit Gaza within weeks. Israel has labelled the reports that it is blocking aid “wholly unfounded.”

The ICJ judges noted that Palestinians in Gaza face worsening conditions of life, with famine and starvation spreading.

“The court observes that Palestinians in Gaza are no longer facing only a risk of famine … but that famine is setting in,” the judges said.

“At least 31 people, including 27 children, have already died of malnutrition and dehydration according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs,” they added.

South Africa has urged for the implementation of these fresh measures in its ongoing legal proceedings, asserting Israel’s involvement in genocidal actions in Gaza.

Emphasising the urgency of compliance with the court’s directive, the ministry stressed the imperative of opening crossings to avert the looming famine in Gaza.

“The Ministry also stresses in this regard the need to ensure compliance with the implementation of the order, including the opening of crossings, to avoid the famine that threatens the Strip, as well as to prevent the risk of genocide,” the ministry said.

It went on to emphasise the necessity for concerted efforts from the international community to ensure a lasting ceasefire in Gaza, thereby preventing the escalation of the war’s devastating repercussions across the region.

Reiterating Qatar’s unwavering support for the Palestinian cause, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs restated the nation’s stance on the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, “including the establishment of their independent state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.”

Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza has now killed 32,705 Palestinians while placing the 2.2 million population under a worsening humanitarian catastrophe. 

Israel killed 82 Palestinians in Gaza within the past 24 hours, Palestine’s news agency (Wafa) reported on Saturday. 

The occupation has shrugged off last week’s United Nations Security Council vote for a ceasefire resolution.

The UNSC adopted the resolution following a majority vote of 14 members as the United States abstained, a move that angered its ally, Israel. Washington had vetoed three past resolutions, echoing Tel Aviv’s refusal to end the war.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been incessantly insisting on advancing into Rafah, where more than one million Palestinians have been sheltering since the beginning of the war. Israel had initially declared the south to be a safer zone when it forced Palestinians to flee the north.

Israeli occupation forces targeted the entirety of the Gaza Strip with people being forced to flee more than once, displacing more than 80 percent of the population. 

More people have been forced to flee since last week from Gaza City under Israel’s attacks on the Al-Shifa Medical Complex.

At least 107 patients are still trapped in the hospital, the largest in Gaza, as a result of the occupation forces’ siege of the facility that has entered its second week, according to Wafa.

Those trapped inside have no access to water, electricity, food, and medicine, with 30 patients in critical condition.

The Israeli military has also blocked all attempts to evacuate the area.