ICJ demands Israel refrain from genocide and stop blocking aid access to Gaza

The International Court of Justice (ICJ), the highest court of the United Nations, hinted this Thursday at taking additional precautionary measures against Israel and demanded that it stop it. Its forces commit acts of genocide against the Palestinians of Gaza or “by any action, prevent the delivery of urgent humanitarian aid”.,

The ICJ warned that civilians in the Strip “are no longer only at risk of famine”, as the court had warned on January 26, when it called on Israel to take immediate measures to stop the genocide, but “Famine is already beginning” and “The disastrous living conditions of Palestinians in Gaza have worsened”.,

The court called on Israel to take “all necessary and effective measures” to ensure the “uninterrupted and large-scale” provision of basic services and humanitarian assistance, including food, water, electricity, fuel, shelter, clothing, sanitary needs and sanitation, medical demanded. Supplies and health care.

This means, the ICJ added, increasing “Increasing the capacity and number of land crossing points and keeping them open as long as necessary” to ease the situation of the civilian population in the strip,

Israel must “ensure with immediate effect that its forces do not commit acts that violate any rights of Palestinians in Gaza as a protected group under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, including the prevention ” Any action, delivery of urgently needed humanitarian assistance,” the court adds as an additional precautionary measure.

With this order, the Israeli government has one month to submit a report to the court on the steps taken. To give effect to these provisional measures.

On 29 December, South Africa initiated proceedings against Israel before the ICJ for violating the Genocide Convention with the war in Gaza.

On 26 January, the ICJ issued precautionary measures, requiring Israel to take “immediate and effective” steps to stop genocide against the Palestinians of the Strip.

On 6 March, and for the second time since late January, South Africa demanded additional measures against Israel, including an immediate ceasefire, as it condemned Israel’s violations of previously issued measures.

Pretoria accused The “threat of total famine” faced by Palestinians and the need to “prevent immediate tragedy”.

In response to that request, the Israeli government assured that getting aid to Gaza “is no simple matter” and explained that human suffering in the Strip is “a painful consequence of intense armed hostilities that Israel neither initiated nor intended. Was.” South Africa accused Israel of “falsely attributing perceived reality to unjustified acts”.

The additional measures announced this Thursday are a response to the South African request, although, again, The court decided not to demand an immediate ceasefire from Israel in Gaza.

In a separate case, Nicaragua initiated ICJ proceedings against the German government for failing to “prevent a possible genocide” against the Palestinians of Gaza, including providing “political, financial and military assistance” to Israel and to the UNRWA agency. Withdrawal of funds was involved.

The first hearing of this case will be held on 8th and 9th April.,

America hopes Israel will not attack Rafah right now

The United States Government hopes so Israel does not attack the Rafah enclave at least until it is able to propose an “alternative” Israelis have agreed to reschedule meetings in Washington after canceling them.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said this while talking to reporters on Thursday. Both governments are still looking for dates to reschedule those meetings, but they hope Israel will not enter Rafah before then.

We hope to get a better idea, in more specific terms, of what they think about Rafah, and also have the opportunity to share with them some of our ideas about viable alternatives to major grassroots campaigns .

“We hope to get a better idea of ​​Rafah in more specific terms, and also have the opportunity to share with them some of our ideas about viable alternatives to major ground operations,” he said.

“We are talking right now with the office of the Prime Minister (Benjamin Netanyahu) and our Israeli counterparts about rescheduling that meeting at Rafah. We are working right now to finalize the date,” he said.

A delegation from Netanyahu’s closest circle led by Israel’s national security adviser, Tzachi Hanegbi, and Israel’s strategic affairs minister, Ron Dermer, was to be in Washington this week for meetings on Rafah.

However, Netanyahu canceled the trip after the United States on Monday allowed the UN Security Council to approve a ceasefire resolution in the Gaza Strip with its absence.,

The United States announced this Wednesday that the Israelis had agreed to reschedule the meetings and Kirby assured that the tone of contacts between the two countries is “serious and professional.”

The offensive on Rafah, the last enclave inside Gaza that the Israelis have not yet entered and where about 1.4 million Palestinians have taken refuge, is one of the main points of friction between Washington and Israel.

While Israeli officials have proposed an offensive on Rafah aimed at eliminating Hamas cadres whom they say are hiding in the enclave, Washington fears the operation would worsen the humanitarian drama.