Egypt welcomes ICJ's ruling to impose additional provisional measures on Israel

CAIRO – 24 May 2024: Egypt welcomed on Friday the International Court of Justice (ICJ)'s ruling to impose additional provisional measures on Israel.

The ICJ demanded Israel to 'immediately halt' military operations and any other measures in the Palestinian city of Rafah that would impose living conditions on the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip that threaten their survival.

The ICJ also asked Israel to open the Rafah land crossing to ensure full and unhindered access to humanitarian aid for the residents of the Gaza Strip. It stressed the necessity of implementing previous measures issued by it, including opening all land crossings between Israel and the Gaza Strip.

According to a statement released by the Foreign Ministry, Egypt urged Israel to comply with its legal obligations within the framework of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, or the Genocide Convention, and international humanitarian law.

It also called on Israel to implement all interim measures issued by the ICJ, which are legally binding and enforceable, as they are issued by the principal judicial organ of the United Nations.

Egypt stressed that Israel, as the occupying power, bears full legal responsibility for the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip. It demanded Israel to stop its systematic policies against the Palestinians, including starvation and siege, which are in violation of all provisions of international law and international humanitarian law.

Egypt said that the court’s ruling is consistent with the current tragic situation in the Gaza Strip, and the continued expansion of the killing and destruction that has affected defenseless Palestinians and the infrastructure system in the Strip as a result of the Israeli war.

It further noted that it had previously warned of the dangers of Israel's military operations in the Palestinian city of Rafah and their direct repercussions that will exacerbate the humanitarian crisis for more than 1.4 million Palestinians.

Egypt also urged the UN Security Council and influential international parties to shoulder their legal and humanitarian responsibilities by adopting decisive measures to bring an end to the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip, achieve a comprehensive ceasefire, end military operations in the Palestinian city of Rafah, ensure the full flow of aid throughout the Strip and protect international relief workers.