ICJ orders Israel to 'immediately' halt its Rafah offensive

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Friday ordered Israel to immediately halt its military offensive in Rafah, a city in southern Gaza Strip where it sent forces on May 6.

“Israel must immediately hold its military offensive or any other action in the Rafah governorate which may inflict on the Palestinian group in Gaza, conditions of life that could bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part,” said Judge Nawaf Salam, president of the ICJ, reading the order on additional provisional measures requested by South Africa in the ongoing genocide case against Israel.

The ICJ said modification in its March 28 order was in view of change in circumstances due to the offensive on Rafah, where displaced Palestinians had taken refuge from the war that started in October. According to UN agencies, more than 800,000 have since fled the city due to the ground invasion.

The ruling said Israel has not "sufficiently addressed and dispelled" concerns raised by its military operation in Rafah.

The ICJ also called on Israel to maintain the Rafah border crossing open for unhindered access of basic services and humanitarian assistance into Gaza.

It ordered Tel Aviv to submit a report on the measures taken on the latest order within a month.