Israel must take measures to prevent genocide in Gaza Strip, rules International Court of Justice

Israel must take measures to prevent acts of genocide in the Gaza Strip, the International Court of Justice said on Friday, according to Al-Jazeera.

The top United Nations court, however, stopped short of ordering a ceasefire in the region.

The court said in an interim order that Israel must prevent and punish incitement to genocide in Gaza. Further, Tel Aviv must allow humanitarian aid into the region, it said.

Commenting on the order, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that his government would “continue to do what is necessary to defend our country and defend our people”. However, he added: “Our war is against Hamas terrorists, not against Palestinian civilians.”

South Africa filed the case before the International Court of Justice on December 29, alleging that Israel violated its obligations under the Genocide Convention.

After the verdict on Friday, South Africa’s Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor said she had hoped that the court would have ordered a ceasefire. However, she said that the measures laid down in the order could only be implemented if there is a ceasefire.

The International Court of Justice is based in the Hague, Netherlands, and is the legal body of the United Nations. The court settles disputes between states and gives advisory opinions on international legal issues.

South Africa had urged the international...

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