Israel ordered to immediately halt offensive in south of Gaza by international court as it calls the crisis ‘disastrous’
ISRAEL was ordered to immediately halt an offensive in the south of Gaza yesterday by an international court.
Judges declared the humanitarian crisis in Rafah had “deteriorated further”, with the situation now “disastrous”.
The IDF has been accused of limiting aid to Gaza, which they deny.
The International Court of Justice President Nawaf Salam said: “Israel must immediately halt its military offensive.”
ICJ rulings are legally binding but they have no way to enforce decisions.
The ICJ, which sits at The Hague, in the Netherlands, voted 13-2 to adopt the measures
Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said: “Those who demand that Israel stop the war, demand that it decree itself to cease to exist.
“We will not agree to that. History will judge this day.”
It came days after the International Criminal Court requested an arrest warrant for Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.
Referencing Hamas, the court ruled it was “deeply troubling” that the terror cell had refused to release 125 hostages still held in captivity.
Judge Salam, from Israel’s neighbour Lebanon, said the ICJ called “for their immediate and unconditional release.”