The top UN court said that it would hold hearings on Thursday and Friday over South Africa’s request to impose emergency orders on Israel to halt its Rafah offensive.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague will hear lawyers from South Africa on Thursday, followed by Israel’s response the next day, it said in a statement.
Earlier this month, Pretoria petitioned the ICJ for provisional measures over the incursion into Rafah, asking the court to order Israel to “immediately withdraw and cease its military offensive.”
Nearly 450,000 Palestinians have been newly displaced from Rafah in recent days, and around 100,000 from northern Gaza, according to UN agencies, which warn that “no place is safe” in the territory.
Ground fighting and heavy Israeli bombardments have been reported recently around Rafah as well as in Jabalia refugee camp in the north and Nuseirat camp in the centre.
The United States and other countries, as well as top UN officials, have warned that a full-out assault on Rafah could have a disastrous humanitarian impact.
Israel said that it is attempting to keep civilian casualties to a minimum.
Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that almost half of those killed are Hamas fighters, playing down the civilian death toll.
‘Last Refuge’
In a ruling in mid-January that made headlines worldwide, the ICJ ordered Israel to do everything it could to prevent genocide during its Gaza offensive.
The court also ruled that Israel must allow aid into Gaza to ease the desperate humanitarian situation there.
South Africa says that Israel is acting in contravention of the 1948 UN Genocide Convention, claims strongly denied by Israel.
The court rejected a second South African application for emergency measures over Israel’s threat to attack Rafah. South Africa made a new request in early March.
Pretoria’s argument is that the latest offensive on Rafah changed the situation on the ground and that the court needs to alter its orders in response.
Israel said that it remains “committed to the observance of its international legal obligations” and has taken several measures to alleviate humanitarian suffering in Gaza.
The ICJ was set up to rule on disputes between states and, while its judgements are legally binding, it has little means to enforce them.
Richard Carter, with AFP
