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United Nations Legal Counsel appears before the International Court of Justice to participate in the advisory proceedings on the presence and activities of the United Nations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

On Monday, 28 April 2025, the Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel, Ms. Elinor Hammarskj枚ld, appeared before the International Court of Justice, the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, to deliver a statement on behalf of the Secretary-General in the oral hearings of the advisory proceedings concerning the Obligations of Israel 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.

On 19 December 2024, the General Assembly requested the Court to urgently render an advisory opinion on what obligations are owed by Israel, as an occupying Power and as a member of the United Nations, 鈥渋n relation to the presence and activities of the United Nations, including its agencies and bodies, other international organizations and third States, in and in relation to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including to ensure and facilitate the unhindered provision of urgently needed supplies essential to the survival of the Palestinian civilian population as well as of basic services and humanitarian and development assistance, for the benefit of the Palestinian civilian population, and in support of the Palestinian people鈥檚 right to self-determination鈥� (General Assembly ).

On 27 February 2025, the Legal Counsel had also submitted a written statement in these proceedings on behalf of the Secretary-General, which has now been made available on the Court鈥檚 website in both and .

In her oral statement, the Legal Counsel highlighted the key legal points raised in the written submission and further elaborated on some of them.聽 She focused on the salient features of Israel鈥檚 obligations as an occupying Power and as a Member of the United Nations, considering the question submitted by the General Assembly.聽 She emphasised the need for humanitarian access, the protection of humanitarian, medical and United Nations personnel, and the absolute inviolability of United Nations premises, property and assets at all times.聽 In addition, the statement sought to address the arguments put forward by certain States in their written submissions, which are all available .聽 The Legal Counsel also recalled the obligation of all actors to comply with international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law, at all times. She also recalled the Organization鈥檚 position concerning the abhorrent acts of terror perpetrated by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups on 7 October 2023, and the need for an immediate and unconditional release of all remaining hostages.

The oral statement by the Legal Counsel is available on the Court鈥檚 website at (from p. 43 onwards).

In addition to the United Nations, thirty-nine States 鈥� namely Algeria, Belgium, the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, the Comoros, Egypt, France, Hungary, Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Mexico, Namibia, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Poland, Qatar, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, the State of Palestine, the Sudan, Switzerland, Tunisia, T眉rkiye, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America and Vanuatu 鈥� as well as three other international organizations 鈥� the African Union, the League of Arab States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation 鈥� delivered oral statements during the hearings that took place from 28 April to 3 May 2025.聽 The statements are all available at .