World Court Orders Israel to Halt Rafah Assault Amid Gaza Conflict

The World Court has ordered Israel to stop its military assault on Rafah during the Gaza war. Various international and local figures, including Hamas officials and the EU's top diplomat, have reacted. The ruling highlights the call for a ceasefire and emphasizes international law violations.

Israel was ordered by the World Court on Friday to halt its military assault on the city of Rafah during the Gaza war.

Here are some reactions: HAMAS OFFICIAL BASEM NAIM:

"We welcome the decision by the World Court that calls on the Zionist occupation forces to end its military aggression on Rafah. We believe it is not enough since the occupation aggression across the Gaza Strip and especially in northern Gaza is just as brutal and dangerous. "We call upon the U.N. Security Council to immediately implement this demand by the World Court into practical measures to compel the Zionist enemy to implement the decision.

"We welcome the court's request to allow investigation committees to reach the Gaza Strip to investigate acts of war of genocide against the Palestinian people and Hamas pledges to cooperate with investigation committees." PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY SPOKESPERSON NABIL ABU RUDEINEH

"The presidency welcomes the decision issued by the International Court of Justice, which represents an international consensus on the demand to stop the all-out war on Gaza." ISRAEL

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said after the ruling that those demanding Israel stop the war were also demanding that it cease to exist, which Israel would not agree to. Opposition leader Yair Lapid said the court's failure to link a demand for an end to fighting with a demand to return Israeli hostages in Gaza was "a moral collapse and a moral disaster".

Former Israeli U.N. envoy Danny Danon said: "As ICJ judges in The Hague deliberate in comfort and return to their families, 125 hostages languish in tunnels. Israel will not cease the war until our hostages are brought back home and Hamas is completely defeated." Before the ruling, an Israeli government spokesperson said: "No power on Earth will stop Israel from protecting its citizens and going after Hamas in Gaza".

SOUTH AFRICAN OFFICIAL ZANE DANGOR "South Africa welcomes the ruling made by the court today. ... This order is ground-breaking as it is the first time that explicit mention is made for Israel to halt its military action in any area of Gaza

"This is de facto calling for a ceasefire. It is ordering the major party in this conflict to end its belligerent action against the people of Palestine." BELGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER HADJA LAHBIB:

"The @CIJ_ICJ orders Israel to stop its military offensive in Rafah. (Belgium) calls for immediate implementation of the decision. The violence and human suffering in Gaza must stop. We call for a ceasefire, the release of the hostages and negotiations for two States." GLOBAL RIGHTS COMPLIANCE NGO:

"The ruling today serves as another admonishment of Israel's flagrant disregard for international law and the obligation to protect civilians in conflict. "Crucially, it gives critical recognition to survivors and the communities living under these attacks that they are unlawful. The ruling is likely to generate further pressure and international attention against Israel and their conduct of hostilities which has, to date, had all the hallmarks of starvation being used as a deliberate method of warfare.”

EU'S TOP DIPLOMAT JOSEP BORRELL: He said the EU will have to choose between respecting support for international institutions of the rule of law and our support of Israel.

"What is going to be the (EU's) answer to the ruling of the International Court of Justice that has been issued today, what is going to be our position? We will have to choose between our support to international institutions of the rule of law or our support to Israel." (Compiled by Andrew Cawthorne, Editing by William Maclean)