The United Nations (UN) International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on Friday that Israel must immediately halt military operations in Rafah, the southernmost region of Gaza.
Israel has begun initial military operations in Rafah as part of the last phase of the war with Hamas to eliminate the terrorist group’s remaining battalions in the region. In the first formal ruling issued since the Israel-Hamas war began on Oct. 7, The ICJ demanded on Friday that Israel “must immediately halt its military offensive and any other action in the Rafah,” citing the impact it may have on the civilian population in the region. (RELATED: UN Taps China, Which Commits Crimes Against Humanity, For New Group Protecting ‘Human Rights’ In Mining)
READ HERE: a summary of the #ICJ Order on the request of South Africa of 10 May 2024 for the modification of the Order of 28 March 2024 in the case #SouthAfrica v. #Israel https://t.co/o3gnBr92g6 pic.twitter.com/6LWegvuii8
— CIJ_ICJ (@CIJ_ICJ) May 24, 2024
The ruling will likely prompt a second UN Security Council (UNSC) vote on whether to call for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza, according to Axios. The UNSC voted for a similar resolution in March, and the Biden administration chose not to veto the vote out of support for a ceasefire.
It is unlikely that Israel will comply with the ICJ’s ruling, according to Axios. The ICJ has limited abilities to enforce its rulings outside of the Hague.
“Israel is acting based on its right to defend its territory and its citizens, consistent with its moral values and in compliance with international law, including international humanitarian law,” the Israeli foreign ministry said on Friday. “Israel has not and will not conduct military actions in the Rafah area which may inflict on the Palestinian civilian population in Gaza conditions of life that could bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part.”
The ICJ said Friday that the humanitarian situation in Rafah has become “disastrous,” pointing to the more than 800,000 Palestinians who have been displaced from the region over recent weeks amid IDF operations, according to Axios. Israel has said that it has taken several steps to ensure refugees are evacuated into “humanitarian zones” along the coastline of Gaza to the West, but the ICJ claimed Friday that it doesn’t believe these efforts are enough to ensure civilian safety.
The ICJ is currently deliberating on a case brought forward by South Africa alleging that Israel is committing “genocide” in Gaza. The court made a preliminary ruling in January that Israel must take immediate steps to avoid genocide in Gaza, but stopped short of demanding that Israel stop its counteroffensive completely.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
