THE HAGUE: Israel is blocking humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza as a `weapon of war`, a top Palestinian official told the International Court of Justice at the start of a week of hearings at the UN`s top court on Monday.

Israel is not participating at the ICJ, but hit back immediately, dismissing the hearings as `part of the systematic persecution and delegitimisation` of the country.

The ICJ is hearing dozens of nations and organisations to draw up an advisory opinion on Israel`s humanitarian obligations to Palestinians, more than 50 days into its total blockage on aid entering Gaza Strip.

Top Palestinian official Ammar Hijazi told judges that all UN-supported bakeries in Gaza have been forced to shut their doors.

`Nine of every 10 Palestinians have no access to safe drinking water. Storage facilities of the UN and other international agencies are empty,` added Hij azi.

`These are facts. Starvation is here. Humanitarian aid is being used as a weapon of war,` concluded the Palestinian representative.

Speaking in Jerusalem, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said the case in The Hague was `part of a systematic persecution and delegitimisation of Israel`.

`It is not Israel that should be on trial. It is the UN and UNRWA,` he told reporters, referring to.

Israel has banned UNRWA, the United Nations aid agency for Palestinian refugees, from operating onIsraeli soil after accusing some of its staff of participating in the Hamas raid in Israel on Oct 7, 2023.

Independent investigations say it has not provided evidence for its headline allegation.

Philippe Lazzarini, the UNRWA secretary general, urged Israel, as an occupying power, to provide services or facilitate their delivery including through the UN agency to the population it is occupying.

`Utmost urgency` In December, the UN`s General Assembly asked the ICJ for an advisory opinion `on a priority basis and with the utmost urgency`.

The UN asked judges to clarify Israel`s legal duties towards the UN and its agencies, international organisations or third-party states to `ensure and facilitate the unhindered provision of urgently needed supplies essential to the survival of the Palestinian civilian population`.

Israel strictly controls all inflows of international aid vital for the 2.4 million Palestinians in Gaza Strip.

It halted aid deliveries to Gaza on March 2, days before the collapse of a ceasefire that had significantly reduced hostilities after 15 months.

Supplies are dwindling and the UN`s World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday it had sent out its `last remaining food stocks` to kitchens.

Footage from a community kitchen in Gaza City shows scores of boys and girls crowded outside the facility, pushing their pots and pans forward in a desperate attempt to secure whatever food they can.-AFP