ICJ to hold public hearings over consequences of Israel’s occupation

AMSTERDAM: The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will hold public hearings to allow parties to give their views on the legal consequences of Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories before eventually issuing a non-binding legal opinion, it said on Monday.

The 193-member United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in December had asked the ICJ, also known as the World Court, to give its view on the on-going conflict between Israel and Palestinians, Reuters reported.

Hearings in the Dutch city of The Hague will open on Monday, Feb. 19, the court said. The request for a so-called advisory opinion had been made before the current escalation in the region, so the ICJ’s opinion will focus solely on the Israeli occupation.

It was made in a resolution adopted by the UNGA with 87 votes in favor. Israel, the United States and 24 other members voted against, while 53 abstained.

Following Israel’s strikes from October 7 to date, the death toll rose to at least 5,087 including 2,055 children and 1,119 women in Gaza while more than 15,273 were injured. More than 1,400 people including 720 children are missing.

In the occupied West Bank, at least 95 including 30 children and one woman were killed and 1,650 were wounded.