Islamabad, October 22, 2025: Pakistan has welcomed the Advisory Opinion issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on “Israel’s Obligations in Relation to the Presence and Activities of the United Nations, Other International Organizations and Third States in and in relation to the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”
In its detailed opinion, the ICJ reaffirmed that Israel, as the occupying power, is legally bound to facilitate humanitarian operations carried out by the United Nations and its agencies, particularly the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). The Court made it clear that Israel must not obstruct the delivery of essential humanitarian aid and must ensure access to food, water, shelter, fuel, and medical care for Palestinians in the Occupied Territory.
The Court further ruled that Israel has no authority to unilaterally apply its domestic laws within the occupied territories in a way that undermines the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination across the entirety of the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).
Pakistan actively participated in both the written and oral proceedings before the ICJ, reaffirming its strong support for UNRWA’s humanitarian mandate and emphasizing its critical and irreplaceable role in providing life-saving assistance to Palestinian refugees.
In a statement following the ruling, Pakistan called for the immediate and full implementation of the ICJ’s Advisory Opinion and urged the resumption of unhindered UNRWA operations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The country also reiterated its longstanding and unwavering support for the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, and for the realization of an independent, sovereign, and contiguous State of Palestine, based on the pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif (Jerusalem) as its capital.
The ICJ’s opinion has been widely viewed as a significant reaffirmation of international law and humanitarian principles, underscoring the global consensus on the rights of the Palestinian people and the obligations of occupying powers under international law.
