Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was discussing the decision with key Cabinet ministers, according to Israeli media reports.
Tel Aviv: In a move rejected by Israeli officials, the UN’s top court on Friday ordered Israel to “immediately” halt its military assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, saying the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territory was “disastrous”.
The ruling read aloud by Judge Nawaf Salam at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague was in response to an urgent application submitted by South Africa.
South Africa justified its application to the ICJ by arguing that the court’s previous measures in connection with the Gaza war were inadequate.
Israel rejected Friday’s ruling. “The charges of genocide brought by South Africa against Israel at the International Court of Justice in the Hague are false, outrageous and morally repugnant,” the head of the National Security Council and the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a joint statement.
“Following the horrific attack against the citizens of Israel on October 7, 2023, Israel embarked upon a defensive and just war to eliminate Hamas and to secure the release of our hostages,” the statement continued.
“Israel is acting based on its right to defend its territory and its citizens, consistent with its moral values and in compliance with international law, including international humanitarian law.”
“Israel has not and will not conduct military actions in the Rafah area which may inflict on the Palestinian civilian population in Gaza conditions of life that could bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part.”
The statement vowed that Israel “will continue its efforts to enable humanitarian assistance and will act, in full compliance with the law, to reduce as much as possible harm caused to the civilian population in Gaza.
