The highest court of the United Nations has directed Israel to take all necessary actions to prevent genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. However, it did not mandate an immediate cessation of hostilities in Israel’s conflict with Hamas. The International Court of Justice (ICJ), based in The Hague, Netherlands, emphasized the imperative for Israel to ensure its military does not engage in genocidal acts and to address the humanitarian crisis affecting Palestinian civilians in Gaza. South Africa initiated the legal action against Israel, alleging violations of the 1948 UN Genocide Convention, established after World War II and the Holocaust.

Israel’s military campaign has inflicted severe damage on Gaza’s densely populated areas, resulting in the deaths of over 25,000 Palestinians in approximately four months, as reported by Gaza health authorities. Following the court’s decision, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed dismay over the discussion of genocide charges, labeling it a lasting disgrace. He affirmed Israel’s commitment to defending its people and sovereign rights, asserting that every nation, including Israel, has the fundamental right to self-defense. Netanyahu criticized the court’s rejection of what he deemed an unreasonable request to relinquish this right.

The Israeli offensive was launched in response to a cross-border attack by Hamas militants on October 7. Israeli officials reported casualties of 1,200, predominantly civilians, with 240 individuals taken as hostages. The ICJ refrained from making a definitive judgment on the alleged genocide in Gaza but acknowledged the Palestinians’ entitlement to protection from genocidal acts. The 1948 Genocide Convention, established following the Nazi Holocaust, defines genocide as deliberate actions aimed at annihilating, wholly or partially, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group.