Why International Law Allows Israel to Lay Siege to Gaza

The Israeli government announced that it will halt humanitarian aid deliveries into Gaza if Hamas does not agree to the terms it is offering. This threat has already sparked a predictable hue and cry from the usual sources about war crimes, international law, and starving children. Of course, these accusations have been leveled for some time—including by the International Court of Justice—based on then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant’s declaration on October 9, 2023 of “a complete siege” on Gaza. Since that complete siege was lifted twelve days later, and Israel at the time did not control the Gaza-Egypt border, this was but another libel. And even if Israel does resort to siege tactics, Gaza at the moment has weeks’ if not months’ worth of humanitarian supplies.