- 'The desperate eyes of Gaza children pierce our conscience with 2 burning questions: Will international law surrender to brute force? Will the pillars of civilization yield before the law of the jungle?' says Ma Xinmin

GENEVA

China told the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Friday that the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territory has reached "unprecedented" levels, threatening to overwhelm an already suffering population, and called on the court to uphold international law and international justice.

"The situation grows more desperate. In Gaza and throughout the occupied territories, we are witnessing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis threatening to overwhelm an already suffering people," said Ma Xinmin, representing China.

He stressed that Israel has a clear legal obligation to accept humanitarian assistance from third parties when the population is inadequately supplied.

"This is not a discretionary choice. Refusing such assistance could constitute a denial of humane treatment of civilians or a form of collective punishment, both prohibited under international law," he said.

Beijing also expressed deep concern over casualties among humanitarian workers in the occupied Palestinian territory, stressing that Israel must ensure the privileges and immunities of UN agencies and bodies.

China reaffirms, the representative said, that the UN should play a "central and unique role" in leading and coordinating humanitarian assistance and called on all states to cooperate to provide relief to the Palestinian people. He reiterated that the fundamental solution lies in implementing a two-state solution.

"Occupation continues and starvation persists," he said, despite the advisory opinion of the court last year. "The desperate eyes of Gaza children pierce our conscience with two burning questions: Will international law surrender to brute force? Will the pillars of civilization yield before the law of the jungle?"

China also urged the court to issue an advisory opinion that would uphold the integrity of international law and "stir the conscience of the international community" to safeguard fairness, justice, and the rule of law.

Since March 2, Israel has closed Gaza’s crossings, blocking essential supplies from entering the enclave despite multiple reports of famine in the war-devastated territory.

The Israeli army renewed its assault on Gaza on March 18, shattering a Jan. 19 ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement with the Palestinian resistance group Hamas.

More than 52,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in a brutal Israeli onslaught since October 2023, most of them women and children.