Smoke rises following an airstrike in Gaza, as seen from southern Israel, on Friday. The ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza has escalated, with Israeli forces advancing into the outskirts of Rafah, Gaza’s southernmost city. The military operation has led to mass evacuations and intensified bombardment, causing more than 630,000 people to flee the area, many of whom were already displaced from elsewhere in Gaza.
Lawyers representing Israel defended the operation as “limited and localized” at a hearing at the International Court of Justice in The Hague. South Africa has petitioned the court to order an immediate halt to Israel’s ground assault in Rafah, accusing Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
Israeli leaders argue that invading Rafah is necessary to topple Hamas’s rule in Gaza, as the city is reportedly home to four battalions of Hamas fighters and hostages held by Palestinian armed groups. However, the prospect of a major ground invasion of Rafah amid hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians has drawn sharp criticism internationally, including from the Biden administration.
Israeli Deputy Attorney General for International Law, Gilad Noam, reiterated Israel’s rejection of committing genocide in Gaza and stated that Israel is working to protect civilians and facilitate humanitarian aid. He argued against the court’s intervention in operational aspects of the conflict, stating that demanding a cease-fire would tie Israel’s hands as Hamas is not subject to the court’s jurisdiction.
Human rights groups have criticized the Israeli military’s ability to investigate itself for alleged wartime misconduct, with concerns that soldiers who kill Palestinians under contested circumstances rarely face substantial penalties. Israeli officials have accused South Africa of acting as a “legal arm” of Hamas, with Hamas officials reportedly attending a conference in Johannesburg.
The court’s decision on South Africa’s request for an emergency order to prevent civilian harm in Rafah is pending, as the international pressure on Israel to rein in its campaign in Gaza continues to mount. The situation remains tense as the conflict between Israel and Gaza shows no signs of abating.
