World Court Orders Israel To Immediately Halt Its Military Attack In Rafah
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) on May 24, ordered Israel to “immediately halt its military attack in Rafah.” Noting that the conditions have been met for emergency measures, the UN top court further asked the Jewish state to take effective measures to “ensure the unimpeded access to the Gaza Strip of any commission of inquiry, fact-finding mission or investigative body mandated by the competent organs of the UN to investigate allegations of genocide.”
The court also ordered Israel to report back to the court within one month over its progress in implementing the measures ordered by the court. The Rafah action may inflict on the Palestinian group in Gaza conditions of life that could bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part, said Nawaf Salam, the president of the International Court of Justice.
The judge further said the humanitarian situation in Rafah is dangerous and has deteriorated further.
Immediately after the verdict, several countries welcomed the ICJ ruling, and the Palestinian Authority was the first to react by welcoming the decision from the International Court of Justice. It said that the verdict presents an international consensus to end the war in the Gaza Strip.
Reacting to the verdict, the petitioner, South Africa, which even last day had requested the world court to order a halt to Israel”s assault in Rafah, asked the UN member states to back the court”s ruling.
South Africa”s Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor said that he believes it’s a much stronger, in terms of wording, set of provisional measures, a very clear call for a cessation. Gaza”s resistance group Hamas has also welcomed the court”s decision.
Since the Rafah offensive began two week ago, more than 900,000 Palestinians have been reported to have displaced. The city is reeling under humanitarian crisis, with its lack shelter, food, water and medicine. the authorities of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital has warned that the lack of electricity will push the ailing patients to death.
Since October 7 last year, more than 35,800 people have been killed and 80,011 have been wounded in Israeli offensive in Gaza.
