Israel continues strikes on Rafah after ICJ order

(Patria) - The Israeli army bombed the Gaza Strip on Saturday, including Rafah, a day after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered it to halt its operations in the area.

The UN's highest court, whose decisions are legally binding but which has no enforcement mechanisms, also ordered Israel to keep the Rafah crossing open, essential for the entry of humanitarian aid, but which has been closed since the start of the ground operation in early May.

Israel defended itself by claiming that it “has not conducted and will not conduct military operations in the Rafah area that create living conditions that could cause the destruction of the Palestinian civilian population, in whole or in part”.

The Palestinian movement Hamas, which has been at war with Israel and in power in Gaza since June 2007, welcomed the ICJ's decision, regretting that it was limited “only to Rafah”.

Following the ICJ's decision on Friday, Israeli bombing continued in the Gaza Strip. The same applies to clashes between the Israeli army and the armed wing of Hamas.

Early on Saturday, Palestinian witnesses and AFP teams reported Israeli attacks on Rafah (south), a city on the border with Egypt, as well as on Deir al-Balah (in the central part).

“We hope that the court's decision will put pressure on Israel to stop this war of extermination, because there is nothing left here,” said Oum Mohamad Al-Asha, a Palestinian from Gaza City displaced by violence in Deir al-Balah.

“But Israel is a state that considers itself above the law, so I don't believe the shooting or the war can be stopped except by force,” emphasizes Mohamed Saleh.

The court, before which South Africa accuses Israel of “genocide”, not only ordered an immediate ceasefire in Rafah, the opening of the border crossing of the same name to allow humanitarian aid to enter, but also the “immediate and unconditional release” of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.

The war began on October 7 after an attack by Hamas commandos who infiltrated Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip, leading to the deaths of more than 1,170 people, mostly civilians.

On that day, 252 people were also taken hostage to the Palestinian territory. Today, 121 are still held captive in Gaza, of whom 37 have died.

In response, the Israeli army launched a devastating offensive in the Gaza Strip, which has killed at least 35,800 people, mostly civilians, according to the Hamas Ministry of Health.

The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has requested arrest warrants for Hamas and Israeli leaders, including Benjamin Netanyahu, for crimes committed in Israel and the Gaza Strip.