International Court of Justice hears case on Israel’s obligation to facilitate Palestinian aid

The International Court of Justice is hearing about Israel’s obligation to facilitate humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank

The case follows a request from the UN General Assembly last year for the court to give guidance after Israel banned the UN agency Unrwa from operating

Since March, Israel has blocked all aid from reaching Gaza, leading to international agencies warning of severe food shortages

Unrwa is the main provider of aid to Palestinians in Gaza, but Israel has accused it of being infiltrated by Hamas – an allegation that has been challenged

The hearings start with submissions from UN and Palestinian representatives, before representatives from 38 countries speak. Israel is not due to make an oral submission this week

The hearing is set to run for five days, ending on Friday – you can watch live at the top of the page. There will not be regular text updates

The court’s opinion, which will be advisory and non-binding, is not expected for months