STORY: :: The World Court orders Israel to halt its assault on Gaza's Rafah
:: May 24, 2024
:: The Hague, Netherlands
:: Nawaf Salam, ICJ President
:: "The court considers that, in conformity with the obligations under the Genocide Convention, Israel must immediately halt its military offensive, and 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. The court recalls that in its order of January 26th 2024, it ordered Israel in the area to, I quote, 'take effective measures to prevent the destruction and ensure the preservation of evidence related to allegations of acts within the scope of Article 2 and Article 3 of the Genocide Convention,' end of quote."
Reading out the ruling by the International Court of Justice or World Court, the body's president, Nawaf Salam, said the situation in the Palestinian enclave had deteriorated since the court last ordered Israel to take steps to improve it. Conditions had been met for a new emergency order.
The court also ordered Israel to open the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza to allow in humanitarian aid, and said it must provide access to the besieged enclave for investigators and report back on its progress within one month.
The order was adopted by the panel of 15 judges from around the world in a 13-2 vote, opposed only by judges from Uganda and from Israel itself.
