ICJ orders Israel to halt its Rafah offensive

The International Court of Justice has ordered Israel to immediately halt its Rafah offensive.

The head of the International Court of Justice Nawaf Salam said the court is not convinced that Israel’s evacuation efforts in Gaza are sufficient.

“The court is not convinced that the evacuation efforts and the related measures that Israel affirms to have undertaken to enhance the security of civilians in the Gaza Strip and in particular those recently displaced from Rafah governorate sufficient to alleviate the immense risk, which the Palestinian population is exposed to as a result of the military offensive in Rafah,” he said during the proceedings on Friday.

He said that the humanitarian situation in Rafah has “deteriorated further” since the last order in March.

The humanitarian situation in Rafah is now classified as “disastrous”, he added.

Moreover, in the order, he directed Israeli authorities to ensure access of investigators to Gaza.

“Israel must take effective measures to ensure the unimpeded access to the Gaza Strip of any commission of inquiry, fact-finding mission or investigative body mandated by the competent organs of the UN to investigate allegations of genocide,” he added.

The court also ordered Israel to report back to the court within one month over its progress in applying measures ordered by the institution also opening of Rafah border crossing for humanitarian assistance.