The International Court of Justice has handed down its long-awaited ruling in South Africa's case against Israel over genocide in Gaza.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has issued a long-awaited interim judgment in South Africa's case against Israel over alleged genocide in the Gaza Strip.
Here are highlights of the interim measures ordered by the court on Friday in the case that has attracted global attention.
prevention of genocide
The World Court has ordered Israel to take steps to stop the genocidal acts it is waging against the Hamas organization in the Gaza Strip.
In the ruling, 15 of the 17 ICJ judges voted in favor of emergency measures that covered most of what South Africa had sought, except for an order to halt Israeli military operations in Gaza.
Israeli military operations have devastated much of the densely populated enclave and killed more than 26,000 Palestinians in nearly four months, according to Gaza health officials. The war has now been going on for more than 100 days since Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, killing 1,139 people and taking 240 prisoners.
no ceasefire
The court stopped short of calling for an immediate ceasefire. Less than two years ago, in March 2022, Russia had ordered an end to its war against Ukraine after Kiev sued Moscow at the ICJ.
On Friday, the ICJ refrained from repeating interim measures it had ordered against Russia, which Moscow has ignored.
South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor, who was in court when the judges handed down the verdict, said she had “hoped” that the interim measures would include a cease-fire order.
But Pandor also argued that he did not see how Israel could carry out the measures ordered by the ICJ without a ceasefire.
ICJ has jurisdiction
In arguments this month, Israel argued that the ICJ lacked jurisdiction over the case. But on Friday, ICJ President Justice Joan Donoghue said she had concluded that the court could rule on the issue, and specifically order interim measures.
She highlighted South Africa's previous public statements suggesting that Israel may have violated its commitments under the 1948 Genocide Convention.
Mr. Donahue also pointed out that Israel has consistently denied allegations of genocide in Gaza. She highlighted the opposing positions taken by the parties concerned to emphasize that there is a conflict between them. Donohue said that, based on the evidence presented, some of the acts and inactions by Israel and its officials appear to fall within the scope of the Genocide Convention.
Preventing and punishing incitement to genocide in Gaza
The court also warned Israel to “take all measures to prevent” acts that might fall under the Genocide Convention, which was established as the world faced the horrors of the Holocaust.
He also said Israel must “prevent and punish” incitement to genocide.
South Africa accused Israel of an act of “genocide” intended to “destroy a significant part of the Palestinian people, race and ethnicity.”
The court had asked Israel to “immediately cease” its military operations in Gaza and to allow humanitarian aid to reach civilians there.
Israel must report within one month
The judges will report to the court within a month what steps Israel is taking to comply with the order to take all steps within its authority to stop acts of genocide in Gaza. It was decided that it must be done.
Donahue said the ruling imposes international legal obligations on Israel.
Allow humanitarian aid to the Strip
The court also ruled that Israel must immediately implement “immediate and effective” measures to ensure the provision of urgently needed humanitarian aid and basic services to Gaza.
Hamas, which has ruled the Gaza Strip for the past 16 years, praised the court's “important” ruling, saying it “contributes to Israel's isolation.”
” [International] “The Court of Justice's decision is an important development that will contribute to isolating Israel and exposing its crimes in Gaza,” it said in a statement.
