(Reuters) -Israel was ordered by the World Court on Friday to halt its military assault on the city of Rafah in Gaza.
Here are some reactions:
HAMAS
Hamas welcomed the ruling by the U.N.’s International Court of Justice but said it was insufficient.
“In the time 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,” senior Hamas official Basem Naim told Reuters.
“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,” said Naim.
PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY
The Palestinian Authority welcomed the ruling.
“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,” Palestinian presidential spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh said.
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.
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”.
(Compiled by Andrew Cawthorne, Editing by William Maclean)
