Israel fears that world court will approve South Africa's request to halt fighting in Rafah: Report

By Zein Khalil

JERUSALEM (AA) - Israel is worried that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) may order it to cease fighting in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, reports said Tuesday.

Its concern comes ahead of public hearings scheduled for Thursday and Friday.

Earlier in the day, the ICJ announced that it would hold hearings to consider South Africa’s request for “additional measures” against Israel.

This request is in relation to the case of genocide filed against Israel following the Israeli army’s operation in Rafah.

In response to the court’s announcement, the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported that Israel has not yet decided whether it will participate in the hearings.

“On Thursday, a public hearing will be held for South Africa, followed by a similar process for Israel the next day (Friday),” the newspaper said.

The report also noted that one of the options currently under consideration in Israel is to request a postponement of the hearing, given the short preparation time of two days.

“Israel fears the ICJ will approve South Africa’s request and issue an order to halt fighting in Rafah in the near future,” it added.

The daily cited an unnamed Israeli expert who suggested that one of the factors prompting the court to expedite the hearings is provocations by extremist right-wing Israeli activists that are hindering the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

The expert added that these incidents, which have been extensively covered by the media worldwide, raise difficult questions about who is managing this matter in Israel.

Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Oct. 7 last year which killed about 1,200 people.

Nearly 35,180 Palestinians, most of them women and children, have since been killed, and over 79,000 others injured, according to Palestinian health authorities.

More than seven months into the conflict, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the ICJ. An interim ruling in January said it is "plausible" that Tel Aviv is committing genocide in Gaza, ordering it to stop such acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in the enclave.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio