ICJ scrutinises legalities of Israeli occupation in Palestine in latest hearings

Since Monday, more than 50 countries and three international organisations have been presenting arguments to the International Court of Justice, the UN’s top court, regarding the impact of Israel’s policies in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and East Jerusalem. Today, Egypt’s legal counsellor, Jasmine Moussa, stated that, “Israel's persistent policy of implanting settlements in the West Bank and Occupied Jerusalem for the purpose of creating facts on the ground and breaking up the territorial contiguity of the Occupied Territories is a blatant disregard for international law.” In response to the hearings, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issued a statement underlining that it didn't “recognise the legitimacy of the proceedings”, and claimed they were an ”effort designed to infringe on Israel’s right to defend itself against existential threats”. Our reporting and on the ground updates from Gaza explore the legalities of the ongoing war, what life is like for those trapped by the siege, and highlight the most pressing humanitarian needs. Read our full Palestine coverage here.