There International Court of Justice in The Hague ordered Israel to stop military offensive in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, acting following the request of South Africa. “In accordance with these directions, under the Genocide Convention, Israel must immediately stop its military offensive and any other actions in Rafah governorate which may inflict on the Palestinian group in Gaza living conditions which may lead to their physical destruction, in whole or in part,” said Court President Nawaf Salam.
The Hague Order
The Court also ordered Israel to open the Rafah border crossing for humanitarian assistance. The International Court of Justice has stated that, to preserve evidence, Israel must take measures to ensure unhindered access to the Gaza Strip to investigators. The Court finally told Israel that it must submit a report on the measures taken within a month. And he urged the “immediate and unconditional release” of Israeli hostages in Gaza.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will have a telephone consultation urgently with various ministers, including defense minister Yoav Gallant, foreign minister Israel Katz and with the Attorney General Chief of Staff Gali Beharav-Miara. Ynet reported this immediately after the Court’s decision was announced. South Africa welcomes ‘stronger’ order of the Court against Israel, which he ordered to stop the operation in Rafah.
Hamas welcomed the Court’s decision
On Telegram he said it was not enough, however, and called for an “end to the offensive throughout Gaza.” “We appeal to the international community and the UN – continued Hamas – to put pressure on the occupation to immediately force it to comply with the Resolution and to proceed with a serious and real application of all the United Nations resolutions which force the Zionist occupation army to stop the genocidal war”. Hamas in the note on Telegram makes no comment on the Hague’s decision which also calls for the “immediate and unconditional release” of the Israeli hostages in Gaza.”The irrelevant order of the anti-Semitic court in The Hague should have only one answer: the occupation of Rafah, the increase in military pressure and the complete destruction of Hamas, until complete victory in the war is achieved.” This was said by the minister of national security – and leader of the radical right – Itamar Ben Gvir quoted by Ynet.
Bodies of other hostages recovered
The Israeli Forces (IDF) confirmed that having recovered the bodies of Orión Hernández Radoux, Hanan Yablonka and Michel Nisembaum in a “night operation” in Jabalia, in the north of the Strip. “Based on intelligence information, it appears that the hostages were killed during the brutal terrorist attack on October 7,” says a note, which reports “intense fighting in the area” at the start of the raid. The IDF states that it has informed the families. Hernández Radoux, 30 year old French-Mexican, he was Shani Louk’s boyfriendwhose lifeless body was found last week by the Israeli military. They were both at the Supernova music festival.
Netanyahu’s words
“We have a national duty and a moral obligation to do everything what is in our power to bring back our hostages, the living and the fallen, and that is what we are doing.” These are the words that come from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the recovery of the bodies. Netanyahu, the Israeli media report, offers condolences to the families and congratulates with “the IDF and security forces intervening with great courage inside enemy territory to return them to their families and bury them in Israel”. According to the Israeli news site Ynet, 125 hostages remain in the hands of Hamas.
May 24, 2024
