Hamas welcomes UN court’s demands for Israel to immediately implement provisional measures in Rafah

By Ahmed Asmar

ANKARA (AA) - The Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, on Friday welcomed demands by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for Israel to implement immediate provisional measures in Rafah which is threatened by an Israeli ground assault.

Hamas said it welcomes the ICJ decisions "which stressed the necessity to immediately implement provisional measures ordered by the court on Jan. 26."

It urged the court to develop its decisions into "direct and clear order to stop the brutal aggression that leads to genocide against the unarmed civilians in the Gaza Strip."

The world court declined to request from Israel further measures in Rafah but affirmed an order for Israel to prevent genocidal acts across the Gaza Strip.

Hamas noted that Israel killed more than 2,700 Palestinians since the ICJ issued an order Jan. 26 for Israel to take "all measures within its power" to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza.

ICJ also ordered Israel on Jan. 26 to take "immediate and effective" measures to enable the provision of urgently needed services and humanitarian assistance in the Gaza Strip but fell short of ordering a cease-fire.

A cross-border incursion by the Palestinian group, Hamas, on Oct. 7 killed less than 1,200 people, but the ensuing Israeli offensive into Gaza has caused the deaths of 28,600 Palestinians and pushed 85% of the territory's population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Despite international outcry, Israel now plans a ground invasion of Rafah, which holds 1.4 million refugees.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to "fight until complete victory and this includes a powerful action in Rafah."

Around 1.5 million Palestinians are living as refugees in Rafah, which straddles the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. It also serves as an entry point for humanitarian aid.