The U.N.’s top court Friday ordered Israel to take measures to limit death and destruction in Gaza as part of a case brought by South Africa alleging that Israel’s military action in its war with Hamas amounts to genocide.
The court stopped short of ordering a cease-fire in Gaza, which South Africa had requested.
The order from the International Court of Justice, which is based in the Hague, Netherlands, is the first step in a wider case about whether Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. But it is unlikely to have an immediate impact on the war, which Israel has vowed it will press ahead on until it destroys Hamas and secures the release of the hostages that were taken in the Oct. 7 attacks.
Netanyahu: ‘We will continue to do what is necessary’
“We will continue to do what is necessary to defend our country and defend our people,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said after the ruling.
Israel had already rejected the genocide allegations when it testified before the court in early January and Netanyahu stressed after the ruling that his country has the right to defend itself. “The charge of genocide leveled against Israel is not only false, it’s outrageous, and decent people everywhere should reject it.”
A verdict on South Africa’s claim that Israel is guilty of genocide in Gaza is expected to take several years.
Palestinian Minister of Foreign Affairs Riyadh Maliki “welcomed” the international court’s order and said it was an important…
