World Court directs Israel to immediately halt Rafah operations

THE HAGUE, May 24

Judges at the top United Nations court ordered Israel on Friday to immediately halt its military assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, in a landmark emergency ruling in South Africa’s case accusing Israel of genocide.

While the International Court of Justice, or World Court, has no means to enforce its orders, the case was a stark sign of Israel’s global isolation over its campaign in Gaza, particularly since it began its offensive against Rafah this month against the pleas of its closest ally the United States.

Bodies of three more hostages found in Gaza

• The bodies of three more hostages killed on October 7 were recovered overnight from Gaza, Israel’s army said on Friday
• The bodies of Hanan Yablonka, Michel Nisenbaum and Orion Hernandez Radoux were found and their families had been notified, the army said
• The announcement comes less than a week after the army said it found the bodies of three other Israeli hostages
• Israel says around 100 hostages are still captive in Gaza. The bodies of at least 39 more are still lying there, while 17 bodies of hostages have been recovered

Reading out the ruling, World Court president Nawaf Salam said the situation in the Palestinian enclave had deteriorated since the court last ordered Israel to take steps to improve it, and conditions had been met for a new emergency order.

“The state of Israel shall (….) 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,” he said.

South Africa hailed the ruling as groundbreaking. The Palestinian Authority said it represented a global consensus that the war must end. — Reuters

‘Will continue fighting to get back captives’

Jerusalem: Israeli war cabinet minister Benny Gantz said Israel would continue its “just and necessary” war against Hamas to return its hostages and ensure its security after the International Court of Justice ordered it to halt its operation in Rafah. “