The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on Friday Israel must halt its military offensive in Rafah in southern Gaza.
The UN’s top court also affirmed that the Rafah border crossing with Egypt must be opened for the entry of humanitarian aid “at scale”
South Africa appealed to the ICJ to order a cessation of the Israeli military’s entire operation in Gaza, particularly in Rafah, arguing that the military campaign makes life in the region untenable and therefore constitutes a violation of the 1948 Genocide Convention.
This appeal marks the fourth time South Africa has approached the court since Israel declared war on Hamas following the Palestinian group’s attack on October 7.
Israeli officials, unnamed in the reports from Channel 12 Israel, believe the ICJ will likely rule against Israel but indicate that Tel Aviv does not intend to comply with the ruling.
If the court rules in favour of South Africa, the matter will be escalated to the United Nations Security Council, where Israel expects the United States to use its veto power, as reported by the Times of Israel.
Additionally, the Israeli news site Ynet reports there is a significant chance that the ICJ might issue further directives to increase humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza.
The site also notes a low probability that the ICJ will deny South Africa’s request to stop hostilities, with a moderate to high chance that it will accept the original request to halt the war in Gaza.
An Israeli government spokesperson stated prior to the court’s decision, “No force on earth will prevent Israel from protecting its citizens and pursuing Hamas in Gaza.”
The ICJ announced today that it will deliver its verdict tomorrow regarding South Africa’s request to stop the Israeli attack on Rafah in Gaza.
During last week’s hearings, South Africa requested the ICJ to halt the Israeli offensive in Gaza, particularly in Rafah, to ensure the survival of the Palestinian people.
This emergency measure is part of a larger lawsuit filed by South Africa at The Hague, accusing Israel of committing genocide.
