The International Court of Justice called on Israel to take measures to prevent and punish public incitement to commit genocide against Palestinians. She stressed the need for a report on these measures to be submitted within a month.
On Friday, the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to take measures to prevent and punish direct incitement to genocide against Palestinians, and to improve the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
This came during a session held by the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, to decide on South Africa’s request to take precautionary measures in the “genocide” lawsuit filed against Israel.
The president of the court, US Judge Joan Donoghue, said in her speech during the session: “We affirm our jurisdiction to decide South Africa’s lawsuit against Israel.”
She added, "The International Court of Justice rejected Israel's request to withdraw South Africa's lawsuit against it."
Donoghue also confirmed that the court has the authority to rule on precautionary measures in the “genocide” case brought against Israel.
She pointed out that "the situation in Gaza is miserable and deteriorating rapidly, and even the necessary humanitarian aid is not reaching the population. We face the risk of the spread of epidemics and the collapse of the medical system."
“Israel must take measures within its authority to prevent and punish public incitement to commit genocide against Palestinians,” she said.
She continued: "Israel must take immediate and effective measures to enable it to provide basic services and much-needed humanitarian assistance in Gaza."
She stressed that "Israel will submit a report to the court regarding the temporary measures imposed within a month."
South Africa submitted a request to the International Court of Justice on 29 December 2023, including reference to interim measures in order to “protect against further serious crimes and irreparable harm to the rights of the Palestinian people under the Genocide Convention.”
On January 11 and 12, the court held two public hearings as part of the commencement of consideration of the case. If the court adopts the measures, this decision will be binding on Israel, while the process of examining the merits of the case is expected to take many years.
“The situation is catastrophic.” The World Health Organization warns of starvation among Gazans
A World Health Organization spokesman said that people in the Gaza Strip are living in a catastrophic health and humanitarian situation, and that they are at risk of death from hunger, malnutrition, thirst, or from bullets, injuries, and buildings collapsing on top of them.
The World Health Organization has warned of the worsening humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip as a result of the continuation of the Israeli war since October 7, 2023, describing the situation as “catastrophic” and that hunger and diseases are devastating the population in the Strip.
World Health Organization spokesman Christian Lindmeier said that people in Gaza are living in a "catastrophe," and that they are at risk of dying from hunger, malnutrition, and thirst, or from bullets, injuries, and buildings collapsing on top of them.
He added that the Israeli attacks in Gaza targeted 2.4 million people, and that this situation left behind a “traumatized generation.”
Children are more threatened
The organization's official stated that more than 25,000 people lost their lives in Gaza, about half of whom were children, pointing out that a large percentage of the war's victims were children.
Lindmeier explained that children are actually the most vulnerable in such situations, and when they are starving and malnourished, they easily contract all kinds of diseases, especially diarrhea.
He added: "Diarrhea in weak, malnourished children can cause death within one day."
He continued, "This is almost like a death sentence for many children," and stressed that this disaster in Gaza affects children more than others.
Hospitals with partial services
Lindemeyer stated that the health system in the Gaza Strip has completely changed after the Israeli war, as 7 hospitals in the north and south of the Strip continue to operate “partially,” adding that 22 of the Strip’s hospitals out of 36 cannot provide services.
He explained that Gaza's hospitals were filled to more than 300 percent of their capacity, people were lying on the ground in pain and bleeding, and surgeries were being performed in the corridors.
The spokesman stated that the population's needs have reached their highest levels, and with famine, disease and war, the region is in a catastrophic situation.
He stressed that even if the war stopped today, its effects would continue for a long time and would have a major psychological impact.