ICJ Issues Order for Israel to Prevent Genocide In Gaza Strip.

By Caroline Ameh

The International Court of Justice (ICJ), Friday directed Israel to take measures to prevent genocide in the Gaza Strip. The judgment stems from a lawsuit filed by South Africa, accusing Israel of genocide in the region.

Despite not mandating an immediate ceasefire in the ongoing conflict, presiding judge Joan Donoghue emphasized that Israel must make concerted efforts to mitigate casualties and damage in the Gaza Strip.

The ICJ based its decision on the 1948 treaty, which defines genocide as “acts committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group.”

All signatory states, including Israel and Palestine, are obligated to refrain from committing genocide and to actively prevent and punish such acts.

South Africa lodged the complaint with the ICJ in December, asserting that the hostilities between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, violate the 1948 genocide convention.

The African nation sought immediate measures, urging the court to halt the violence against Palestinians to safeguard their rights from further harm.

While Judge Donoghue did not explicitly call for a ceasefire, she insisted that Israel must swiftly implement effective measures to facilitate the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance in the Gaza enclave.

The ruling imposes international legal obligations on Israel, requiring the nation to report to the court within a month on its actions to comply with the order and prevent acts of genocide in Gaza.