ICJ Rules Israel Must Stop Rafah Operation: What’s Next?

 The International Court of Justice has issued a legally binding order for Israel to halt its invasion of Rafah

A Palestinian woman stands next to a damaged building after an Israeli air attack in Rafah on May 22, 2024 [Eyad Al-Baba/AFP]

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has called on Israel to end its operation in Rafah, the southernmost town in Gaza.

Over the past two weeks, Israel has reduced entire neighborhoods in Rafah to rubble and forcefully displaced hundreds of thousands of people. Israel claims that it needs to move into Rafah to complete its mission of defeating Hamas. However, the ICJ ruled that Israel’s actions effectively violate the rights of Palestinians under the Genocide Convention.

Here’s what you need to know about the ICJ’s new orders:

**What was the ICJ ruling on South Africa’s case against Israel?**

The court ruled that Israel must stop its offensive on Rafah.

The ICJ was not convinced that Israel had taken sufficient measures to protect civilian life and voted – 13 judges to two – that Israel must take effective measures to enable any UN-backed commission of inquiry to enter Gaza and probe genocide allegations. The court also reaffirmed its previous January 26 ruling that Israel must scale up aid to Palestinians in Gaza.

“The ICJ is essentially saying: OK, enough,” said Alonso Gurmendi, an international law scholar at King’s College, London. “It is a pretty substantial order … it [reflects] a loss of patience [with Israel] in my opinion.”

Director-General of South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation Zane Dangor and South African Ambassador to the Netherlands Vusimuzi Madonsela at the ICJ where South Africa requests new emergency measures over Israel’s attacks on Rafah, The Hague, Netherlands, May 16, 2024 [Yves Herman/Reuters]

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**What was South Africa’s complaint against Israel?**

South Africa initially filed an emergency request for Israel to end its offensive on Rafah but later broadened its request to include a full ceasefire in Gaza.

**Will this stop Israel’s attack on Rafah?**

Minutes after the ruling, reports emerged of Israeli air raids in Rafah, indicating that the attacks have not ceased.

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