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The UN’s top court described the humanitarian situation in the southern Gaza city, where hundreds of thousands of civilians have fled, as “dire” and ordered Israel to “immediately” halt its military attacks on Rafah.
“Israel must immediately stop its military attacks in Rafah governorate and other actions that could impose living conditions on the Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip that could lead to its physical destruction, in whole or in part,” said International Court of Justice (ICJ) President Nawaf Salam.
The emergency measures were issued at South Africa’s request as part of its genocide proceedings against Israel.
The ICJ ordered Israel to report to the court within one month on its progress in implementing the measures ordered by the body, and also ordered Israel to reopen the Rafah border crossing with Egypt to allow humanitarian aid.
Below are responses from leaders and organizations around the world.
Palestinian Authority spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh
“The presidency welcomes the International Court of Justice’s decision, which signals international consensus calling for an end to the all-out war against Gaza,” Rudeine said.
Hamas leader Bassam Naim
Naim said Hamas welcomed the World Court’s decision “calling on the Zionist occupation forces to end their military aggression against Rafah.”
He added that the group welcomed the court’s request to allow investigators into the Gaza Strip to look into “genocidal acts against the Palestinian people,” and that Hamas has pledged to cooperate with the investigative committee.
Naim also said Hamas was calling on the UN Security Council to immediately implement the International Court of Justice’s demands.
Israeli Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich
Shortly after the ICJ ruling, Smotrich posted on social media platform X: “Those who demand that the State of Israel stop fighting demand that the State of Israel itself cease to exist. We do not agree with that.”
“We will continue to fight for ourselves and for the entire free world. History will judge who sided with the Nazis of Hamas and ISIS (ISIL) today,” he added.
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid
“It is a moral bankruptcy and a moral catastrophe that the Hague court failed to point out in its judgment the connection between the cessation of fighting in Rafah and the return of the hostages and Israel’s right to self-defence against terrorism,” Lapid said.
War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz
Gantz said Israel had launched a “justifiable and necessary operation in response to the brutal slaughter of our people, the abhorrent sexual violence against women, the abduction of children and the firing of rockets into our cities.”
“The State of Israel is committed to continuing to fight wherever and whenever necessary, including in Rafah, to return the hostages and ensure the safety of its people,” he added.
Israeli Minister of Culture and Sports Miki Zohar
“Judges from the High Court in The Hague have been asked to come to Gaza and persuade Hamas to return the abducted victims,” Zohar told X.
“Until this happens, it is clear that there is no possibility of stopping the fighting in Rafah.”
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa
“South Africa welcomes the order handed down today by the International Court of Justice. We are deeply concerned by Israel’s efforts to restrict much-needed aid to the Gaza Strip and its systematic targeting of aid and aid infrastructure within the Strip.”
“This case therefore focuses on ordinary Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, who have now been suffering for seven months from collective punishment for something for which they are not individually responsible.”
“South Africa remains concerned that the UN Security Council has so far not been successful in halting people’s suffering.”
South African government official Zane Danger
Dangar said the court’s decision was “groundbreaking.”
“This is effectively a ceasefire call. It commands the main parties in this conflict to stop their belligerent actions against the Palestinian people,” he said.
“This order, like any other, is binding and Israel must comply with it.”
European Union (EU) Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell
Borrell said the EU needed to take a stance on the ICJ ruling.
“We will have to choose between support for international rule of law institutions and support for Israel,” he said.
Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
“Egypt calls on Israel to comply with its legal obligations within the framework of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and international humanitarian law, and to implement all provisional measures issued by the International Court of Justice, which are considered to have legally binding and enforceable force as if issued by the highest international judicial body.”
“Egypt stresses that Israel, as the occupying Power, bears full legal responsibility for the deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and calls on Israel to end its systematic policy of targeting, starvation and besieging the Palestinian population, which violates all provisions of international law and international humanitarian law.”
United States Senator Lindsey Graham
“For my part, the ICJ can go to hell. It is long past time to stand up to this so-called international judicial body connected to the UN. Their anti-Israel bias is overwhelming.”
“The International Court of Justice’s ruling that Israel should halt operations necessary to destroy four battalions of Hamas killers and terrorists who are using Palestinians as human shields is absurd.
“Israel will and should ignore this.”
Belgian Foreign Minister Haja Labib
Labib said in a post on X that Belgium was calling for the court’s ruling to be implemented immediately.
“The violence and human suffering in Gaza must stop. We call for a ceasefire, the release of hostages and bilateral negotiations,” she said.
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi
Safadi said the International Court of Justice had once again exposed war crimes in Gaza.
“The Israeli government has once again flouted international law and refused to comply with court orders. The Security Council must hold itself accountable and put an end to Israeli impunity and double standards in the enforcement of international law,” he said in a statement on X.
Saudi Arabian Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
“Saudi Arabia welcomes the decision of the International Court of Justice ordering Israel to immediately cease its military attacks and other actions in Rafah, in accordance with the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.”
Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
“We welcome the provisional decision… to order Israel to cease its attacks on Rafah, Gaza, and to immediately open the Rafah border gate for humanitarian assistance.”
“No country in the world can escape the law. We expect Israel to swiftly implement all decisions of the court. To ensure this, we call on the UN Security Council to play its role.”
War Crimes Prosecutor Reed Brody
Brody said the International Court of Justice had acted to address the reality in the Gaza Strip.
“First of all, I’ve been really impressed with South Africa’s tenacity and perseverance and their return to the court, which was almost unanimous in its response,” he told Al Jazeera.
Brodie noted that South Africa had been seeking an order from Israel to cease military attacks on Gaza since the start of the war, but the court ruled that such action could not be taken because Hamas and the Palestinians were not on the witness stand.
“But they ultimately chose to do so here. It’s a testament to this court and its work. Combined with the ICC prosecutor’s decision (recommending arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials), this is truly a legal one-two punch,” he added.
Human Rights Watch
International human rights groups said the ICJ ruling showed how bad the situation is in Gaza.
“The International Court of Justice’s order underscores the gravity of the situation facing Palestinians in the Gaza Strip,” said Balqees Jarrah, deputy director of the group’s international justice program.
“The decision opens up the possibility of relief, but only if governments use their influence to pressure Israel to urgently implement the court’s measures.”
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)
A US-based civil rights group “praised” the International Court of Justice’s ruling.
“The Biden administration alone continues to fully support Israel’s genocide in Gaza, while the international community increasingly rebels against the genocide, forced starvation and ethnic cleansing that Israel’s far-right regime is inflicting on the Palestinian people,” CAIR said in a statement.
“Israel is clearly trying to make Gaza uninhabitable. We must prevent them from achieving this horrific objective. President Biden must respect this important ruling and immediately end military support for Israel’s genocidal activities.”
Norwegian Minister for Foreign Affairs Espen Bate Eide
“We expect Israel to implement the measures ordered. Respect for the Court and its functions, including its power to order interim measures, is essential to strengthen international law and the international legal order.”
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