International Court of Justice Orders Israel to Halt Military Assault on Rafah: Global Reactions and Responses

The International Court of Justice has issued an urgent order for Israel to halt its military assault on Rafah, a city in the southern Gaza strip, citing the “disastrous” humanitarian situation. The court’s president, Nawaf Salam, emphasized that Israel must cease its offensive immediately to prevent the destruction of the Palestinian population.

This emergency measure was requested by South Africa as part of its genocide case against Israel. The ICJ has mandated Israel to provide a progress report on implementing the ordered measures within a month and also to reopen the Rafah border crossing for humanitarian aid.

Reactions to this ruling have poured in from leaders and organizations worldwide:

– Palestinian Authority spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh welcomed the decision as an international consensus to end the all-out war on Gaza.
– Hamas official Basam Naim praised the court’s decision to halt Israeli military aggression in Rafah and cooperate with investigations into alleged acts of genocide.
– Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich defiantly stated that Israel will continue its fight against Hamas despite the ruling.
– European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell highlighted the need for a choice between supporting international institutions or Israel.
– South African President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed grave concern over Israel’s restrictions on aid entering Gaza and called for a ceasefire to end the suffering of Palestinians.

Additionally, representatives from Egypt, the United States, Belgium, Jordan, and human rights organizations like Human Rights Watch and Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) have expressed their support for the ICJ’s decision and called for Israel to comply with the court’s ruling.

The ruling has brought further attention to the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the need for immediate action to protect civilians and uphold international law.