Germany on Tuesday renewed its call on Israel to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) interim ruling obliges the Israeli government to take measures to alleviate the suffering of Palestinian civilians.
“The International Court of Justice has once again clearly underlined what is also crucial for us, that this terrible suffering began on 7 October, that all hostages must be released immediately, that Israel also has a responsibility, and that humanitarian supplies must be ensured in Gaza,” Baerbock said at a joint news conference with her Polish counterpart Radoslaw Sikorski in Berlin.
She said that Germany continues its diplomatic efforts for the release of hostages, for measures to ensure the security of Israel, and also for delivering more humanitarian aid to the Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
“We stand clearly by our humanitarian obligations,” the foreign minister added.
Israel has launched a deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip following an Oct. 7 Hamas attack, killing at least 26,751 Palestinians and injuring 65,636. Nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.
The Israeli offensive has left 85% of Gaza's population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.
In December 2023, South Africa filed a case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing Israel of failing to uphold its commitments under the 1948 Genocide Convention.
The UN court, in its interim ruling last week, ruled that South Africa's claims are plausible. It ordered provisional measures for Israel's government to desist from genocidal acts, and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.
