ICJ orders Israel to halt Rafah offensive in Gaza – Washington Examiner

The International Court of Justice ruled that Israel must “immediately halt” its offensive into the Rafah enclave in Gaza.

“In conformity with obligations under the genocide convention, Israel must immediately halt its military offensive, and any other action in the Rafah governate, which may inflict on the Palestinian group in Gaza, conditions of life that could bring about its physical destruction, in whole or in part,” an ICJ judge said.

Presiding Judge Nawaf Salam reads the ruling of the International Court of Justice, or World Court, in The Hague, Netherlands, Friday, May 24, 2024, where the top United Nations court ruled on an urgent plea by South Africa for judges to order Israel to halt its military operations in Gaza and withdraw from the enclave. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

The court also said that Israel had not provided ample evidence to show that it had ensured the safety of refugees from Rafah. It said that the humanitarian situation in Gaza has deteriorated drastically, and may now be “characterized as disastrous.”

The ICJ says the situation in Gaza has deteriorated since its order in January, and the humanitarian situation there is now disastrous. pic.twitter.com/E6k0wbDnns

— Saul Staniforth (@SaulStaniforth) May 24, 2024

The ruling is a significant blow to Israel, as a failure to follow the court’s ruling could incur sanctions. The lack of U.S. support for the Rafah operation could strip Israel of the veto it has relied on in past decisions.

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The ICJ’s ruling came a few days after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other members of the Israeli government over their actions in the War in Gaza.