The International Court of Justice ordered on Friday that the Rafah border crossing must be kept open so that humanitarian aid can be transported through it without hindrance.
Some of the food supplies waiting to enter the Gaza area from Egypt have started to rot, as the Rafah border crossing has been closed to aid deliveries for the third week already, reports news agency Reuters.
Egypt and the United States agreed on Friday to send aid from the Israeli side through the Kerem Shalom border crossing until the necessary arrangements have been made to open the Rafah border crossing, Egypt’s presidential office said, according to Reuters.
UN representatives have previously complained that the military activity at Kerem Shalom has made aid transport significantly more difficult.
The White House commented on the ICJ decision
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a ruling on Friday that Israel’s attack on Rafah, located in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, threatens to partially or completely destroy Palestinian civilians. The court also ordered that the Rafah border crossing must be kept open so that humanitarian aid can be transported through it without hindrance.
As expected, Israel rejected the ICJ’s decision, and insisted that it would continue to keep the Rafah border crossing open. Meanwhile, the COGAT agency under the Israeli Ministry of Defense said on Friday on the messaging service X that Israel would continue to deliver significant amounts of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
However, the UN and international aid agencies have said that Israel continues to seriously impede the delivery of aid to Gaza.
The White House commented on the ICJ’s decision at night Finnish time.
– We have been clear and consistent about our position on Rafah, said a White House spokesperson.
Sources: AFP, Reuters