The International Court of Justice (ICJ) yesterday said Israel must meet the "basic needs" of the population on Gaza, including providing everything they need to survive.
"As an occupying power, Israel is obliged to ensure the basic needs of the local population, including the supplies essential for their survival," said ICJ President Yuji Iwasawa.
Israel must not use starvation as a means of waging war in Gaza, he said. "The court considers that Israel is under an obligation to agree to and facilitate relief schemes provided by the United Nations and its entities, including UNRWA," said Iwasawa.
The court ruled that Israel has not stood up allegations that members of UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, also worked for the Hamas group it is fighting in Gaza, reports AFP.
US Vice President J D Vance yesterday cautioned there were challenges ahead both in terms of disarming Hamas and rebuilding Gaza as part of a US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian movement.
"We have a very, very tough task ahead of us, which is to disarm Hamas but rebuild Gaza, to make life better for the people of Gaza, but also to ensure that Hamas is no longer a threat to our friends in Israel," Vance said during a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem.
Netanyahu said ideas for "the day after" had been discussed. "We're just creating an unbelievable day after with a completely new vision of how to have the civil government, how to have the security there, who could provide that security there."
"It's not going to be easy, but I think it's possible... we're really creating a peace plan and an infrastructure here where nothing existed even a week and a day ago," he said.
Meanwhile, Palestinians in Gaza told Al Jazeera that they have seen no real change in their lives since the ceasefire, as Israel continues sporadic attacks and keeps blocking aid.
The bodies of two more Israeli captives, one soldier and one civilian, were returned to Israel late Tuesday night by Hamas and positively identified by the Israeli government.
United States envoy Steve Witkoff said the Gaza ceasefire is "exceeding" expectations despite deadly Israeli attacks across the Palestinian territory, with 13 bodies received by hospitals over the past day.