Israel-Hamas War UN Order: The International Court on Friday ordered Israel to immediately stop military action in the Gaza city of Rafah. International pressure on Israel has increased over the war against Hamas. Chief Justice Nawaf Salam of the Hague-based court said, ‘Israel should immediately stop its military attack in Rafah and any other action that can lead to complete or partial destruction of the lives of Palestinians in Gaza.
ICJ Chief Justice Salam said, ‘The court considers the humanitarian situation in Rafah to be “catastrophic”. If the Israeli operation in Rafah continues, the situation is going to become “even more dire”. Earlier, Israel, ignoring the advice of many international organizations including the US, launched a limited ground attack in Rafah on 7 May. As soon as the Israeli army entered Rafah, it locked the border with Egypt, and it has been closed since then. It was an important entry point for humanitarian aid in Gaza.
The ICJ said that more than one million Palestinians had taken refuge in Rafah before Israel’s military action, but about 800,000 have left the city since the attack. The court said that Israel’s efforts to evacuate people who had taken refuge there and the living conditions there were not sufficient to reduce the severe risks faced by Palestinians. ICJ decisions are final and binding, but there is no mechanism for their enforcement, and they have been ignored internationally in the past.
South Africa had filed a petition against Israel in ICJ on 10 May. Israel was accused of putting the lives of the people of Rafah in danger by forcefully evicting them. South Africa has accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in the 7-month long conflict. Israel has denied all these allegations against itself in ICJ. It urged the court to respect the current situation in Israel due to Hamas.
Tags: Gaza Strip, Israel, United nations
FIRST PUBLISHED : May 24, 2024, 20:38 IST