The International Court of Justice of the United Nations (UN) on Friday ordered Israel to “immediately halt” its military offensive into Rafah, the southern Gaza city where more than 1 million Palestinians had been sheltering.
Nawaf Salam, president of the International Court of Justice, read out the ruling.
He said the provisional measures ordered by the court in March did not fully address the situation in the besieged Palestinian enclave now, and conditions had been met for a new emergency order, USA Today reports.
Read Also: ICJ Says Gaza Genocide is ‘Plausible,’ but Does Not Order Cease-fire
Join our WhatsApp Channel for more news
“Israel must immediately halt its military offensive” in Rafah and any other actions that could lead to the destruction of the enclave “in whole or in part,” the ruling said.
South Africa requested the International Court of Justice to make such an order as part of a broader case accusing Israel of committing genocide in its war against Hamas in Gaza.
The court said that it is “not convinced that the evacuation efforts and related measures that Israel affirms to have undertaken” in the Gaza Strip “are sufficient to alleviate the immense risk” posed to the Palestinian population.
The order was adopted by a 13-2 vote by the panel of judges. It requests that Israel submit a report to the court within a month outlining the measures it implemented to satisfy the directive.
