ICJ orders immediate halt to Israel's Rafah military operation against Palestinians; check details

Salam highlighted the worsening humanitarian crisis in Rafah, describing the situation as "disastrous." Since the court's last order in March, conditions have significantly deteriorated.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has issued a directive to the Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to immediately cease its military offensive in the Rafah governorate. The ruling came in response to a case brought by South Africa against Israel.

Judge Nawaf Salam, head of the ICJ, announced the verdict, stressing the urgent need for Israel to halt any actions in Rafah that could contribute to the physical destruction of the Palestinian population in Gaza, either in whole or in part.

"Israel must immediately hold its military offensive or any other action in the Rafah governorate which may inflict on the Palestinian group in Gaza conditions of life that could bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part," Salam said.

Salam highlighted the worsening humanitarian crisis in Rafah, describing the situation as "disastrous." Since the court's last order in March, conditions have significantly deteriorated. Over 900,000 Palestinians have been displaced in just two weeks, with many lacking basic necessities such as shelter, food, water, and medicine.

The ICJ president also expressed skepticism regarding Israel’s evacuation efforts in Gaza. "The court is not convinced that the evacuation efforts and the related measures that Israel affirms to have undertaken to enhance the security of civilians in the Gaza Strip, and particularly those recently displaced from Rafah governorate, are sufficient to alleviate the immense risk to the Palestinian population as a result of the military offensive in Rafah," Salam remarked.