After the International Court of Justice in The Hague ordered Israel to ensure the introduction of humanitarian aid to Gaza, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded (between Thursday and Friday) and claimed that there are no restrictions on the amount entering the Gaza Strip.
Ministry's spokesman Lior Haiat stated that: "South Africa has failed again in its cynical attempts to use the International Court of Justice to limit Israel's basic right and duty to protect its citizens from the ongoing Hamas attacks and releases hostages held in cruel captivity in Gaza."
According to him: "As Israel has made clear again, it acts in accordance with international law, including with regard to its commitment to allow and facilitate the transfer of vital humanitarian aid intended for the civilian population in the Gaza Strip. Israel does not impose limits on the amount of essential humanitarian aid that enters Gaza, in particular: food, water, shelter, equipment, and medicine. Israel is not interested in harming the civilian population."
He further added: "Israel will continue to promote new initiatives, and expand the existing initiatives, in order to enable and facilitate the flow of aid to the Gaza Strip in a continuous and extensive manner, on land, in the air and at sea, together with UN bodies and other partners in the international community. The ongoing efforts to increase the scope and methods of access to aid exist despite the operational challenges on the ground and the heinous attempts of Hamas to hoard, steal, and take over aid."
Israel is obliged to fulfill its obligations according to international law
Following the announcement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs placed the responsibility for what is happening in Gaza on Hamas. "It is the one who launched an unprecedented terrorist attack on the State of Israel and its citizens while committing atrocities, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, including rape, mutilation, and torture. Hamas is holding captive in indescribable conditions women, men and children who were kidnapped from Israel 172 days ago."
It also stated that: "Israel is investing supreme efforts in order to reduce harm to the civilian population as part of fighting Hamas, in the complex circumstances that Hamas has created. Hamas terrorists continue to attack Israeli citizens even today and use the civilian population in Gaza as human shields."
At the end of his remarks, the spokesman wrote: "Hamas shows complete disregard for international law and the lives of civilians, Israelis and Palestinians alike, and deliberately harms humanitarian efforts aimed at helping the population of Gaza. Israel is obligated to fulfill its obligations under international law, including in all that concerns humanitarian aid, and will continue to exercise its right and duty to protect its citizens, with the aim of removing the terrorist threat of Hamas and returning all hostages to their homes and families, and guaranteeing a future without Hamas terrorism for both Israelis and Palestinians."