Israel Continues Bombing in Gaza Strip Despite ICJ Order
On May 25, Israel persisted with its bombing in the Gaza Strip, including the city of Rafah, a day after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) directed it to cease military operations against the southern city. Despite the ICJ ruling, Israel showed no signs of altering its military plans. Israeli National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi declared that they would avoid military operations in the Rafah area that could jeopardize the Palestinian civilian population. The ICJ ruling demanded Israel to immediately stop its offensive in Rafah and take urgent steps to address the humanitarian crisis in the entire region, including reopening the Rafah border crossing to allow aid into Gaza. The order was part of a case filed by South Africa accusing Israel of genocide during its offensive in response to an attack by Hamas. Notably, the ICJ cannot enforce its rulings, but the mounting pressure from the court's verdicts and other countries recognizing a Palestinian state have increased the scrutiny on Israel. The conflict between Israel and Hamas, designated a terrorist organization by the US and the EU, began on October 7, 2023, with a cross-border attack by Hamas resulting in casualties and hostages being taken. This ongoing conflict continues to draw international attention and concern.
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