Israeli national security minister denounces ICJ order to halt Rafah offensive as ‘antisemitic’

By Abdelraouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) - An Israeli minister on Friday slammed the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) ruling demanding Tel Aviv to halt its military operations in Rafah.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir in a statement described the provisional order in the ongoing genocide case against Israel as “antisemitic.”

He asserted that the response to the ruling “should be a single answer: the occupation of Rafah, increased military pressure, and the complete defeat of Hamas until full victory is achieved.”

Benjamin Netanyahu's office, meanwhile, said the prime minister had begun ministerial consultations over Israel's response to the UN court's order.

Israel has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas that claimed 1,200 lives last October.

The operation has leveled most of the territory and created a humanitarian crisis. Despite concerns over the safety of civilians, Israeli forces invaded on May 6 Rafah, where over a million Palestinians had taken refuge. Since the assault, at least 800,000 people have fled the city.

In late 2023 South Africa filed a case at the ICJ, accusing Israel of failing to uphold its commitments under the 1948 Genocide Convention.

The UN court on Jan. 26 ruled that South Africa’s claims are plausible and ordered provisional measures for Israel’s government to desist from genocidal acts, and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

On the request of South Africa, on March 28 the UN court ordered additional measures, calling on Israel to ensure "unhindered provision" of urgent aid to Gaza as "famine is setting in."

The ICJ on Friday reaffirmed its previous orders, and indicated further measures including an end to military operations in the southern city, maintaining the Rafah border crossing open and access to fact-finding missions to the blockaded enclave.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio