The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has delivered its decision following South Africa’s request for additional measures against Israel amid the Rafah offensive. Here’s a breakdown of the ruling:
What did the court order?: The ICJ told Israel it must “immediately halt” its military offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, warning that it could make the “disastrous” humanitarian situation even worse. The court also said Israel must allow aid to flow through the Rafah crossing, as well as allowing UN investigators to enter Gaza, and that it must report back to the Court on its compliance within one month.
Why did the court issue this ruling?: Friday’s ruling is part of South Africa’s ongoing case against Israel. Late last year, South Africa accused Israel of violating international laws on genocide. While the ICJ can take years to consider the full merits of a case, it can issue “provisional measures,” intended to stop the conflict getting worse in the meantime. South Africa filed an urgent request on May 10 for additional measures, accusing it of using forced evacuation orders in Rafah to “endanger rather than protect civilian life.”
Did the court agree unanimously?: No. The four new provisional measures ordered each passed by 13 votes to two. The measures were opposed by Vice-President Julia Sebutinde, a Ugandan judge, and Aharon Barak, an ad-hoc judge from Israel brought in specifically for this case, along with a judge from South Africa.
Hasn’t the court already issued provisional measures?: Yes. The ICJ has issued provisional measures on two separate occasions, and can continue to do so if it believes conditions in Gaza have changed. Since the court last issued measures in March, the court’s president, Judge Nawaf Salam, said the humanitarian situation had deteriorated “even further” and could now be called “disastrous.”
How did Israel respond?: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu swiftly held a call with his war cabinet. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir posted a picture of David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s founder and first prime minister, on X, with the quote: “Our future does not depend on what the Gentiles will say, but on what the Jews will do.”
How did South Africa respond?: South Africa praised the court’s ruling. “This order is groundbreaking as it is the first time that explicit mention is made for Israel to halt its military action in any area of Gaza,” Zane Dangor, director of South Africa’s department for international relations (DIRCO), said in a video statement. He said the ruling was a “de facto” call for a ceasefire.
Palestinian Authority welcomes the decision: The Presidency of the Palestinian Authority expressed its strong support for the ICJ decision and urged the international community to ensure Israel’s compliance with the orders and to exert pressure on Israel to adhere to international legitimacy and law.
And Hamas?: Hamas strongly approved of the court’s decision to impose measures on what the militants called the “criminal Zionist entity.” The group said it anticipated a broader ruling addressing the entire Gaza Strip – rather than just Rafah – stressing that the situations in Jabalya and other cities are equally dire.
Will Israel comply with the ruling?: Israel has signaled it will not comply with the ruling, and the court has no way of enforcing its decision. For weeks, Israeli officials have said the offensive in Rafah is necessary to defeat Hamas and return the hostages held in Gaza, many of whom are believed to be in Rafah. Responding to Friday’s ruling, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid said the court’s failure to “connect the end of the military operation in Rafah to the release of the hostages” was an “abject moral failure.”
This post has been updated with additional reactions to the ICJ decision.
