The Palestinian human rights association Al-Haq, Amnesty International, Oxfam and Action Aid Denmark said they would appeal the decision to Denmark's Supreme Court.

The four had filed their lawsuit against the Danish foreign ministry and national police last year.

They argued there was a risk that "Danish military materiel (F-35 components) was being used to commit serious crimes against civilians in Gaza".

In a ruling seen by AFP, the Eastern High Court wrote that the four associations "cannot be considered to be affected in such a direct, individual and concrete manner that they meet the general conditions of Danish law regarding their right to bring proceedings."

Amnesty International disagreed.

"Arms exports are a human rights issue, and our legal interest is clear," said the secretary general of the Danish branch of Amnesty International, Vibe Klarup, said in a statement.

"If we, as human rights and humanitarian organisations seeking to uphold Denmark's obligations under the Arms Trade Treaty in relation to the bombings in the Gaza cannot challenge in court the legality of the Danish government's decisions to supply weapons to Israel when, as reported by UNICEF, at least 15,600 Palestinian children have been killed since October 2023 - who does?" she added.

- Denmark's obligations -

In their lawsuit, the associations targeted the foreign ministry since it "determines whether there is a risk that weapons and weapons components could be used to violate human rights" and the police because it was the authority responsible for issuing export licences.

"Denmark's position on export control, also in relation to the F-35 programme, is in accordance with applicable EU and international law obligations," the Danish foreign ministry told AFP in an emailed comment.

Danish media outlets Danwatch and Information revealed in 2023 that Israel's F-35s were equipped with parts made by the Danish group Terma.

Last year, Amnesty International accused Israel of "committing genocide" against Palestinians in Gaza.

The Danish lawsuit was filed in March 2024, on the heels of a similar suit filed in the Netherlands by a coalition of humanitarian organisations.

A Dutch court in December rejected demands by pro-Palestinian groups for a total ban on exporting goods that can be used for military means to Israel.

The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says the overall death toll has reached 50,846 since the war with Israel began on October 7, 2023, a figure the UN has deemed reliable.

Hamas' unprecedented assault on Israel resulted in 1,218 deaths, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli data.