Israel is ordered to HALT Rafah offensive as UN’s top court says it is ‘not convinced’ IDF has taken sufficient measures to alleviate the suffering of Palestinians

Judges of the UN Supreme Court have ordered Israel to halt its offensive in Rafah. They said they are “not convinced” that the IDF has taken sufficient measures to alleviate the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza.

Nawaf Salam, the president of the International Court of Justice, read out the ruling in a case brought by South Africa accusing Israel of genocide.

“The court finds that Israel, in accordance with its obligations under the Genocide Convention, must immediately halt its military offensive and any other action under the Rafah government that could impose living conditions on the Palestinian group in Gaza that could lead to physical destruction of the Palestinian group in Gaza. in whole or in part.’

He described how the already “catastrophic situation” in Rafah has “further deteriorated” since the last court order was issued in March, adding that the humanitarian situation in Rafah is now classified as “disastrous.”

Judge Salam added that “Israel must take effective measures to ensure unimpeded access to Gaza for any investigation into allegations of genocide,” and ordered Israel to open the Rafah crossing to allow in humanitarian aid.

He added that Israel must report to the court within a month on progress in implementing the measures.

Israel has repeatedly dismissed genocide allegations in the case as unfounded and argued in court that its operations in Gaza amount to self-defense and target Hamas terrorists who crossed the Israel-Gaza border on October 7.

Israel is unlikely to comply with the ruling. Although the ICJ’s rulings are legally binding, in practice they are not enforceable by the court.

A lone protester waves the Palestinian flag outside the Peace Palace, at the rear, which houses the International Court of Justice, or World Court, in The Hague

Smoke rises during the Israeli bombardment of eastern Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, Sunday, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas

An injured Palestinian boy stands next to the rubble of a family home that was hit during an Israeli bombardment in the Tal al-Sultan neighborhood of Rafah in southern Gaza on Monday.

The panel of fourteen permanent judges from countries around the world, plus an additional ad hoc judge appointed by Israel as a party to the case, took their seats in the courtroom in The Hague earlier this afternoon.

Outside, a small group of pro-Palestinian protesters waved flags and played music calling for a free Palestine.

An Israeli government spokesperson said on the eve of today’s decision that “no power on earth will stop Israel from protecting its citizens and going after Hamas in Gaza.”

Israel launched its attack on the southern city of Rafah this month, forcing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to flee a city that had become a haven for about half of its population of 2.3 million.

Rafah, on Gaza’s southern edge, was also the main route for aid, and international organizations say the Israeli operation has cut off the enclave and increased the risk of famine.

South Africa’s lawyers last week asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague to impose emergency measures. They said Israel’s attacks on Rafah must be stopped to ensure the survival of the Palestinian people.

The ICJ, also known as the World Court, is the highest UN body for dealing with disputes between states. The rulings are final and binding, but have been ignored in the past. The court has no enforcement powers.

A decision against Israel could put more diplomatic pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.

The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court – a separate court also based in The Hague – announced on Monday that he had applied for arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as Hamas leaders.

Prosecutor Karim Khan accused Netanyahu and Gallant of crimes including extermination, using hunger as a weapon and deliberately targeting civilians. Israel strongly denied these accusations and called on its allies to reject the court.

South Africa’s broader case at the International Court of Justice accuses Israel of orchestrating a state-led genocide against the Palestinian people. The International Court of Justice has not ruled on the substance of this accusation – it could take years – but has rejected Israel’s demand to have the case thrown out.

In previous rulings, the Court has ordered Israel to prevent genocide against Palestinians and allow aid to flow into Gaza, while not ordering a halt to Israeli military operations.

Israel launched its air and ground war against Gaza after Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israeli communities, killing 1,200 people and capturing more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli figures. Since then, more than 35,000 Palestinians have been killed in the offensive, Gaza’s health ministry says.