The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ordered Israel to immediately halt its military offensive and any other actions that could compromise the lives of Palestinians in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
Rafah is on the border with Egypt. More than one million people, fleeing fighting elsewhere, sought refuge there in recent months and Israel believes the city is Hamas’ last major stronghold.
In its ruling delivered this afternoon, the UN’s top court described the humanitarian situation in Rafah as disastrous.
It said it was not convinced that Israel had done enough to alleviate the suffering of Palestinians, as per the court’s initial order.
In another historic move, South Africa returned to the ICJ in May, to seek an urgent order for the protection of the Palestinians in Gaza.
The ruling is expected to increase international legal pressure on Israel.
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 Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) has welcomed the news as groundbreaking.
The director-general of the department, Zane Dangor, was part of the South African delegation that went to The Hague for the initial hearing in January.
He says while the court cannot use the term ceasefire, the terminology used in today’s ruling in a way means exactly that.
The South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD), however, believes peace in the matter needs to be made through political negotiations and not legal institutions.
“This is especially when the ICJ has no jurisdiction over the brutal terror organisation Hamas. South Africa could have done so much more to prevent loss of life from the outset, by using its relationship with Hamas and its history of engagement and dialogue, as a way to resolve conflict rather than these ongoing legal challenges. South Africa could have done so on the 8th of October, with the potential of thousands of lives being saved,” the organisation says in a statement.
The contentious ICJ’s ruling comes amid growing international criticism against Israel’s conduct in the war-torn Gaza Strip.
Just this week alone, seven European Union member countries, including Slovakia, Sweden and Cyprus, recognised Palestine.
The ICC’s top prosecutor also rubbed salt into the wound, announcing his team’s intention to put top Israeli and Hamas leaders on trial for the bloodshed in the Middle East.
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is also under pressure at home to end the conflict, with demonstrators calling for the government to clinch a deal with Hamas so that the militants can return the hostages they took when they ambushed Israel last October, in a move that sparked the raging war.
So far, 35 800 people have been confirmed dead since the beginning of the unrest.
Prior to the verdict, Netanyahu in a string of tweets had expressed his commitment to bring the Israeli hostages home.
We have a national and moral obligation to do our utmost to return our hostages – the living and the deceased – and this is what we are doing.
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) May 24, 2024
The reactions of social media users have been varied.
As the ICJ delivers its verdict, let us remember what is at stake. #FreePalestine pic.twitter.com/HBtdgpbwQK
— Fébé Potgieter (@FebePotgieter) May 24, 2024
ICJ is basically telling terror group Hamas. “Don’t worry. We have your back.”. ICJ’s verdict protects terrorism and gives a new lease of life to terrorists. Not victims of terror. 1200 innocent Israeli lives don’t matter. 100 hostages don’t matter. For ICJ only Hamas matters.
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) May 24, 2024
Thank you God, Israel must stop bombing innocent Palestinians in Gaza and Hamas must give back hostages. I hope both parties adhere to the UN ICJ verdict!https://t.co/am497U1qUl
— Kalifa El Amor (@kalifaelamor) May 24, 2024
Verdict will make no difference to #Netanyahu He’ll ignore the #ICJ 😡 pic.twitter.com/AY03mKSTzN
— Mk2 BIG MAVERICK🍀 (@Mk2Maverick) May 24, 2024
🚨Israel intensifies its bombing of Rafah right after the ICJ ordered it to immediately halt its military offensive & all other actions there “that may inflict on the Palestinian group in Gaza conditions of life that could bring about its physical destruction” (i.e. genocide)! pic.twitter.com/7Wn5QPi8gi
— Muhammad Shehada (@muhammadshehad2) May 24, 2024
Written by: Lindiwe Mabena
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