International Court orders Israel to halt offensive in Rafah | BBC News

The United Nations Supreme Court has decided that Israel must immediately stop its military

offensive

in Rafa, southern Gaza. The International Court of Justice that resolves disputes between countries affirms that the catastrophic situation in Gaza has deteriorated and describes the humanitarian conditions in Rafa as disastrous. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has again rejected genocide accusations as false and outrageous Lucy Williamson has the latest from Jerusalem Israel's soldiers have been ordered to advance towards Rafa Israel's leaders have been ordered to stop the images from both sides showing fighting as Israeli troops move closer to the city center, but the UN's highest

court

today focused on the civilians still there and the 800,000 who have fled.

Israel must immediately stop its military

offensive

s and any other actions in Rafa Governor that could inflict on the Palestinian group in Gaza living conditions that could bring about their physical destruction, in whole or in part, Israel says this is a precise and limited operation , but Rafa satellite images show the destruction less than two weeks after today's attack. The Israeli military said it had recovered the bodies of three hostages from northern Gaza Michelle Nissam Orian Hernández and Kanan Blanca, a member of the war cabinet, said Israel had to keep fighting to return its hostages and safeguard its citizens and that it would continue to act in accordance with

international

law.

Foreign criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza is increasing, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, or BB as he is known, is comfortable being seen as the staunch defender of Israel's security. Under siege. I don't like being one, to say the least. I don't think it's any more criminal. It is very easy to sit miles away and criticize what is happening. Do you have a better alternative I really don't care what people think of us, you can see if we care what people think of us then we should stop the war, no we are here we are Israel therefore it is It's really important that we have support. and we don't understand it MRI Taking shelter in a tent on the coast north of Rafa had little faith in the power of the Court to change their situation implement this on the ground they shouldn't say one thing and do something different today they say they want to stop the war but the massacres are only increasing the Rafer offensive has blocked key aid routes through southern Gaza supplies brought through a new US dock quickly looted the

court

today ordered Israel to reopen the Rafa crossing new lines of battle in this war fueled by promises on both sides to protect civilians Lucy Williamson BBC News Jerusalem Dominic Kiani is here with me um the jurisdiction of the Court can they enforce this not really Clive no it's not like there's a global police force there out to go and execute a court order South Africa asked for a lot more than they actually got here, so while this is considered a victory, if you really look at the wording, it only applies to um Rafa anywhere else in Gaza and There is actually room here for Israel to actually effectively appease the courts because the court says to keep the military offensive there if it can cause the physical destruction of the Palestinians, so in essence it is saying that if you have other military options, go for those. who are on the practical route to South Africa. if nothing happens is to go to the UN and try to get a vote in the Security Council, but then of course that becomes political, the US has a blockade there, so actually this is where the law and diplomacy collide and the court has tried to achieve it. a balancing act stopped dead Yes, again, I'm talking about this being genocide.

He's trying to find the language to underline the alarm and reflect what's being seen on the ground, but it's not a death tone for diplomacy, so he's really directing this toward Israel and critically. The United States and the country also say that this should be enforced and a solution found. I'm sure it's okay, Dominic, thank you Dominic Cashian, our Legal Affairs correspondent there.