Current:Home > Contact-usU.N.'s top court calls for Israel to halt military offensive in southern Gaza city of Rafah-LoTradeCoin
U.N.'s top court calls for Israel to halt military offensive in southern Gaza city of Rafah
View Date:2024-12-23 16:55:57
The International Court of Justice has ordered Israel to halt its military offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, and to take measures to ensure U.N. investigators have unimpeded access to Gaza to investigate allegations of genocide.
In a ruling read out on Friday, the court also called for the immediate and unconditional release of hostages held by Hamas.
Despite the ruling, the International Court of Justice does not have any way to enforce it, meaning the decision is not expected result in an immediate cease-fire. Russia has so far ignored the ICJ's order to halt its invasion of Ukraine.
The cease-fire request was brought forward as part of South Africa's case accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza, as it attacked Hamas following that group's brutal assault on Israel last Oct. 7. Israel has vehemently denied the accusations of genocide.
While the case is likely to take years to conclude, South Africa sought the cease-fire orders to protect Palestinians living in Gaza. Israel's offensive has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry and U.N. officials, and has caused a humanitarian crisis and a near-famine.
In a joint statement Friday, Israel's Foreign Ministry and chief of staff for national security called the accusation of genocide "false, outrageous and disgusting" and said the country is taking steps to facilitate humanitarian aid while waging a "justified defensive war to eliminate the Hamas organization and free our hostages."
Speaking to CBS' partner network BBC News, an Israeli government spokesperson said: "There is no power in the world that will push us to commit a public suicide, because that's what this is, to stop our war against Hamas."
The ruling adds to mounting international pressure on Israel to halt military operations in Gaza, nearly eight months into its war against Hamas.
A prosecutor in the International Criminal Court, also based in The Hague in the Netherlands, has recently announced he is currently seeking an arrest warrant for Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his defense minister and three Hamas leaders.
"No amount of pressure and no decision in any international forum will prevent Israel from defending itself against those who seek our destruction," Netanyahu said in a statement reacting to the ICC's announcement.
Shortly after the ICJ's announcement, the CBS News team inside Gaza reported airstrikes hitting the Rafah area.
- In:
- Hamas
- Israel
- Gaza Strip
- Rafah
veryGood! (69186)
Related
- Republican Dan Newhouse wins reelection to US House in Washington
- Jessica Alba Shares Sweet Selfie With Husband Cash Warren on Their 15th Anniversary
- Basketball powers Kansas and North Carolina will face each other in home-and-home series
- Jersey Shore's Angelina Pivarnick Reveals Why She Won't Have Bridesmaids in Upcoming Wedding
- Mason Bates’ Met-bound opera ‘Kavalier & Clay’ based on Michael Chabon novel premieres in Indiana
- Fuzzy Math: How Do You Calculate Emissions From a Storage Tank When The Numbers Don’t Add Up?
- Australia Cuts Outlook for Great Barrier Reef to ‘Very Poor’ for First Time, Citing Climate Change
- Q&A: Denis Hayes, Planner of the First Earth Day, Discusses the ‘Virtual’ 50th
- 'This dude is cool': 'Cross' star Aldis Hodge brings realism to literary detective
- When homelessness and mental illness overlap, is forced treatment compassionate?
Ranking
- Summer I Turned Pretty's Gavin Casalegno Marries Girlfriend Cheyanne Casalegno
- Here Are Martha Stewart's Top Wellness Tips to Live Your Best Life
- Save 50% On These Top-Rated Slides That Make Amazon Shoppers Feel Like They’re Walking on Clouds
- Ireland is paying up to $92,000 to people who buy homes on remote islands. Here's how it works.
- Suicides in the US military increased in 2023, continuing a long-term trend
- After failing to land Lionel Messi, Al Hilal makes record bid for Kylian Mbappe
- Robert De Niro and Girlfriend Tiffany Chen Step Out at Cannes Film Festival After Welcoming Baby
- Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Faces New Drilling Risk from Congress
Recommendation
-
What Republicans are saying about Matt Gaetz’s nomination for attorney general
-
Fuzzy Math: How Do You Calculate Emissions From a Storage Tank When The Numbers Don’t Add Up?
-
Shootings on Juneteenth weekend leave at least 12 dead, more than 100 injured
-
Jennifer Lawrence Showcases a Red Hot Look at 2023 Cannes Film Festival
-
QTM Community Introduce
-
Can Planting a Trillion Trees Stop Climate Change? Scientists Say it’s a Lot More Complicated
-
Court Lets Exxon Off Hook for Pipeline Spill in Arkansas Neighborhood
-
These Amazon Travel Essentials Will Help You Stick To Your Daily Routine on Vacation