The United Nations' top court on Friday ordered Israel to take steps to limit death and destruction in its war in Gaza, but stopped short of calling for a ceasefire.
The International Court of Justice issued the ruling in a case brought by South Africa accusing Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. South Africa had asked the court to issue an emergency decree ordering Israel to halt its military campaign until the case was decided.
The court did not grant that request. But in a victory for South Africa, he declared that the genocide case can continue and ordered Israel to refrain from killing Palestinian civilians and allow in more humanitarian aid. The court also said Israel should act to prevent and punish incitement to genocide. He ordered Israel to report within a month to demonstrate that it is complying with the measures.
The ruling, read by the court's president, Joan E. Donoghue, expresses solidarity with civilians in Gaza.
and quoted a United Nations official as saying: “Gaza has become a place of death and despair. … Gaza has simply become uninhabitable.”
“The court is acutely aware of the magnitude of the human tragedy unfolding in the region and is deeply concerned by the continued loss of life and human suffering,” Donoghue said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacted angrily to the court's decision to try the case and promised to continue the war.
“We will continue to do whatever is necessary to defend our country and defend our people,” he said.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant saying Israel “does not need the court to lecture it on morality” and dismissed South Africa's case as anti-Semitic.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Palestinian Authority. welcome The court's decision, which he said had “ruled in favor of humanity and international law.”
The court has no way to enforce its order and Israel does not recognize the court's jurisdiction, although it sent lawyers to argue its case.
Israel's current offensive was launched after the deadly cross-border attack by the Hamas militant group on October 7. Israel says 1,100 people, most of them civilians, were killed in the raid and more than 200 were kidnapped.
Israel's relentless airstrikes and ground campaign in Gaza have killed nearly 26,000 people, according to the Hamas-run enclave's Health Ministry. The figure does not differentiate between combatants and non-combatants, but officials say two-thirds of the victims have been women and children.
Nearly all of Gaza's 2.3 million residents have been displaced and food, water and medicine are in short supply.
On December 29, South Africa went to the International Court of Justice to formally accuse Israel of committing genocide.
At a two-day hearing this month, South Africa presented evidence, including public statements by senior Israeli officials, that Israel was trying to “destroy the Palestinians in Gaza.”
Israel described the filing as a “despicable and contemptuous exploitation of the Court.” It rejects the accusation, saying it is not at war with Gazans but with Hamas and has sought to limit the war's impact on civilians. She asked the court to dismiss the charges.
The case could take years to decide. Meanwhile, South Africa asked judges to call for an immediate ceasefire to protect Palestinians in Gaza while it works its way through the courts.
In the interim ruling, the 17-judge panel upheld South Africa's right to take Israel to court even though it is not a party to the conflict.
Donoghue also cited statements by Israeli leaders, including Gallant, the defense minister, who told soldiers in the early days of the war: “We are fighting human animals. … Gaza will never be what it was before.”
