UPDATES WITH RESPONSE TO ICJ RULING FROM EU COMMISSIONER; REVISES HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE; ADDS BACKGROUND
By Ahmet Gencturk
ATHENS (AA) - The EU commissioner in charge of humanitarian aid on Friday said he expects Israel to halt operations in Rafah and open the Rafah border crossing in line with the ruling issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
“I take note of ICJ’s decision ordering Israel to halt military operations in Rafah and to open the Rafah crossing for humanitarian aid and basic services,” Janez Lenarcic said on X.
“ICJ's orders are binding on the Parties and they must comply with them. I expect their full and immediate implementation,” he added.
Earlier, Lenarcic highlighted the need for aid supplies in the Gaza Strip, where Israel has killed at least 35,800 people since last October and triggered a humanitarian crisis.
"As hundreds of thousands of civilian lives are at stake in Gaza, there is a need for an immediate and massive surge in humanitarian aid," he said on X.
"Again I call on Israel to allow full humanitarian access, particularly via land crossings, and ensure safety of civilians and humanitarian staff," Lenarcic added.
In another post on X, the EU commissioner said that due to the ongoing Israeli offensive in Rafah, the closing of crucial crossing points and the highly unsafe environment, a flight initially planned for Friday had to be cancelled. The flight was meant to deliver life-saving aid to civilians in Gaza.
He said since last October, "our commitment to support Palestinians in need in Gaza led us to organise 51 humanitarian air bridge flights and deliver over 2100 tonnes of aid - an operation that involved joint efforts with our humanitarian partners and EU Member States."
On Friday, the ICJ ordered Israel to halt its military offensive in Rafah, open the Rafah crossing, and allow access to international fact-finding missions.
The court also reiterated its concern over the fate of the hostages abducted on Oct. 7 and called for their "immediate and unconditional" release.
Israel has continued its brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, 2023, despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire in the enclave.
More than seven months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.