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A United States official told the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Wednesday that Washington has “serious concerns” about the neutrality of the United Nations agency responsible for assisting Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.
The remarks came during a series of hearings at the ICJ in The Hague, where judges are assessing Israel’s responsibilities in ensuring aid delivery to Palestinians in Gaza. The court is set to offer a non-binding advisory opinion following input from around 40 countries and international bodies, including the League of Arab States.
Representing the US State Department legal team, Josh Simmons alleged that UNRWA’s impartiality has been compromised. He referenced claims that Hamas has used UNRWA facilities and that some of the agency’s staff were involved in the October 7 attack on Israel, without providing concrete proof to back this claim.
“Israel has valid reasons to question UNRWA’s impartiality,” Simmons said, adding that there is no legal requirement for Israel to permit that specific agency to deliver humanitarian aid in Gaza. He also stressed that UNRWA is not the sole channel through which assistance can be provided.
While Israel is not participating in the hearings, it has strongly criticised the process, calling it part of an ongoing effort to delegitimise the country.
The ICJ is not expected to issue its advisory opinion for several months.
