In a landmark ruling, judges at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) have unanimously ordered Israel to take immediate and effective action to guarantee the delivery of basic food supplies to the beleaguered Palestinian population in Gaza.

The ICJ issued its order yesterday, citing the deteriorating conditions of life in Gaza, where famine and starvation are rapidly spreading as a result of the stifling Israeli blockade, the Palestine News and Info Agency (Wafa) reported.