THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) – The United Nations Supreme Court on Friday blocked a cease-fire order in the Gaza Strip. genocide incident But he called on Israel to try to limit deaths and damage from military attacks on the small coastal enclave.
South Africa had brought the case, which goes to the heart of one of the world's most intractable conflicts, asking the court to order Israel to cease operations.
In a long-awaited ruling by a panel of 17 judges, the International Court of Justice decided not to dismiss the case and ordered six so-called interim measures for protection. Palestinians in Gaza.
“The Court is keenly aware of the scale of the human tragedy occurring in this region and is deeply concerned by the continued loss of life and human suffering,” wrote Justice Joan E. Donahue. The chief said.
Friday's decision is only provisional.it may take years The complete lawsuit brought by South Africa Must be considered.Israel reject accusations of genocide He asked the court to drop the charges.
As the case winds its way through the courts, South Africa has asked judges to take interim measures “as a matter of extreme urgency”.
At the top of South Africa's list was a request for the court to order Israel to “immediately cease military operations in and against Gaza.” But the court rejected it.
South Africa also called on Israel to take “reasonable steps” to prevent genocide and enable access to desperately needed aid.
The court ruled that Israel must try to limit death and damage.
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohamed Shtayyeh said in a statement on Thursday that the decision included “immediate action to stop the aggression and genocide against our people in the Gaza Strip, and prompt access to relief supplies to save the hungry, wounded and wounded.” I hope that it will include a similar trend.” Suffering from the slow threat of death that threatens them. ”
On Thursday, Israeli government spokesman Eilon Levy said Israel expected the court to dismiss the “false charges.”
Israel often boycotts international tribunals and UN investigations, calling them unfair and biased. But this time, I took the unusual step of sending it. High-level legal team This is an indication of how seriously the country is taking this incident, and it may be a sign of concern that a court order to halt the operation could be a major blow to the country's international standing.
Israeli officials said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu huddled with top legal, foreign and security officials on Thursday in anticipation of the verdict. He said Israel was confident in its claims but had discussed “all scenarios.” The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was discussing a confidential meeting.
Israel launches massive air and ground offensive on Gaza in response to Hamas militants attacked an Israeli community On October 7, approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed and another 250 were abducted.
The attacker is Vast areas of territory were destroyed It forced almost 85% of its 2.3 million people from their homes.
over 26,000 Palestinians was killed, Ministry of Public Health The announcement was made Friday in the Hamas-run enclave. The ministry does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its death toll, but says about two-thirds of those killed were women and children.
The Israeli military claims Hamas militants are responsible for at least 9,000 people killed in the nearly four-month conflict.
United Nations officials have expressed concern that at least a quarter of the population has become ill and many more could die. facing hunger.
Prior to the ruling, Marieke de Hoon, associate professor of international law at the University of Amsterdam, said the legal hurdles South Africa would have to clear at this early stage were lower than the statutory threshold, so it was unlikely the court would dismiss the case. He said he thought it was low. Applies to rulings on the merits of charges.
“The standard is not… was there a genocide? But the standard is low,” she said. “Could there have been a risk of genocide for which Israel would be held responsible for preventing genocide?”
But Dehun also did not expect the World Court to order an end to Israeli military operations.
“They will avoid actually calling for a complete ceasefire, because I think it's beyond their capabilities at this point,” he said in a phone interview.
The World Court's interim measures are legally binding, but it is unclear whether Israel will comply with them.
The key will be how the United States, Israel's biggest ally, responds to any order. The United States wields veto power in the U.N. Security Council and could block measures aimed at forcing Israel into compliance.
The United States said Israel has the right to defend itself, but also spoke of the need for the country to protect civilians in the Gaza Strip and allow further assistance.
The massacre shook the national identity of Israel, which was established as a Jewish state after the Nazis massacred six million Jews during World War II.
South Africa's own identity This is the key to filing a lawsuit. Its ruling party, the African National Congress, controls Israel's policies in Gaza and the West Bank from its home country under the white-controlled apartheid regime that confined most black people to their “homeland” until its end in 1994. I have been comparing it to history for many years.
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Associated Press writers Joseph Federman in Jerusalem and Gerald Imlay in Cape Town, South Africa, contributed to this report.
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