The international community requests the World Court to mandate further urgent actions ahead of an imminent attack on Gaza city, which is densely populated with displaced individuals.
South Africa has requested the World Court to assess whether Israel's intention to expand its military operations from the Gaza Strip into the heavily populated southern city of Rafah warrants additional emergency measures to safeguard Palestinians.
Last month, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled in a case brought by South Africa, ordering Israel to take all possible measures to prevent its troops from committing genocide against Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip.
Israel has refuted all accusations of genocide related to its military operation in Gaza and has urged the court to dismiss the case outright. Israel asserts that it upholds international law and maintains the right to defend itself against Hamas, the governing body in Gaza.
Israel intends to extend its ground offensive into Rafah, where over 1 million Palestinians have sought shelter from the ongoing offensive initiated by Hamas fighters attacking Israel on October 7.
South Africa has expressed grave concern and submitted a request to the court, stating that Israel's announced military offensive against Rafah has already resulted in significant casualties and destruction, potentially violating the Genocide Convention and the court's previous order.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ), based in The Hague, has not provided an immediate comment on the matter.
In previous instances, the ICJ has occasionally granted additional emergency measures in response to changing circumstances on the ground.
The court has not yet made a ruling on the main aspect of the case brought by South Africa regarding whether genocide has occurred in Gaza. However, it did affirm the right of Palestinians in Gaza to be safeguarded from acts of genocide.
Additionally, the court instructed Israel to permit much-needed humanitarian assistance, including fuel, to enter Gaza.
Al Jazeera's Fahmida Miller, reporting from Johannesburg, highlighted ongoing concerns regarding the implementation of the ICJ's original order. There have been doubts about whether Israel would comply and withdraw, which has not yet occurred.
South Africa contends that Israel is already in violation of the previous order issued several weeks ago and is urging the court to enforce additional measures. South Africa seeks a declaration aimed at ultimately safeguarding Palestinian lives.
On the day that South Africa submitted its request, Israeli forces launched attacks on 14 residences and three mosques in Rafah, resulting in the deaths of numerous individuals and leading hundreds of displaced families to evacuate.
On Tuesday, Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent Ismail Abu Omar and photojournalist Ahmed Matar sustained injuries in an Israeli drone strike in the Miraj area, located north of Rafah. The region had been marked as a "safe zone" by the Israeli military, prompting Palestinians from various parts of Gaza to seek refuge there.
According to Palestinian health authorities, Israel's military offensive in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of at least 28,473 individuals, with over 70 percent of the casualties being women and children.
Approximately 80 percent of the population has been displaced, leading to a humanitarian crisis that has pushed more than a quarter of the population towards starvation.
SOURCE: www.cometodaddy.xyz
