By Beyza Binnur Donmez
GENEVA (AA) - Mexico told the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Thursday that the dehumanization of an entire population in Gaza "should not be normalized,” saying the moment is "pivotal" for international laws and organizations.
"This is a pivotal moment, not only for the protection of the role of the United Nations and of international law, the preservation of our shared humanity is on the line. The world should not and cannot normalize the dehumanization of an entire people," said Pablo Arrocha Olabuenaga, representing Mexico at The Hague court.
"No conflict can come at the cost of human dignity."
Mexico asked the court to confirm that all UN member states, including Israel, are legally bound to uphold the privileges and immunities of the UN and its agencies, facilitate humanitarian assistance, and avoid measures that hinder relief efforts in occupied territories, Arrocha said.
"The reality that has been unfolding before our eyes in Gaza cannot and must not be justified," he said. "Children have no food. Lives are being lost."
He argued that the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza is "a deliberate choice, consequence of a political decision," stressing it is both avoidable and reversible.
On behalf of Mexico, he called on Israel, as a UN member state and occupying power, to comply with international humanitarian law and human rights obligations, including allowing and facilitating humanitarian relief without impediment and ensuring the protection of civilians.
Patricia Perez, also representing Mexico, told the court the situation grows "graver" each day despite repeated international appeals for restraint, access, and protection.
She said the deteriorating conditions highlight the urgent legal and moral stakes of the case, particularly Israel's obligations under international 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.
At least 52,400 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in a brutal Israeli onslaught since October 2023, most of them women and children.