Judges from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) have ordered Israel to cease its military assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
ICJ President Nawaf Salam announced the ruling, noting that the provisional measures ordered by the court in March did not adequately address the current situation in the besieged Palestinian enclave, thus necessitating a new emergency order.
“Israel must immediately halt its military offensive in Rafah,” Salam declared.
This decision came in response to a request from South Africa, which had called for the measure a week ago in a case accusing Israel of genocide.
A small group of pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered outside, waving flags and playing a rap song on a boom box, calling for a free Palestine.
Who won Israel has consistently rejected the accusations of genocide as baseless, arguing in court that its operations in Gaza are acts of self-defense targeting Hamas militants who attacked Israel on October 7.
The Israeli government spokesperson asserted that Israel would relentlessly protect its citizens and pursue Hamas in Gaza, regardless of any opposition.
This declaration came ahead of Friday’s decision. Israel initiated its assault on Rafah, prompting hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to flee, as the city had become a sanctuary for nearly half of Gaza’s population.
“This may well be the last chance for the court to act,” Irish lawyer Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh, who is part of South Africa’s legal team, told judges last week.
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