The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is set to rule on Friday on a request by South Africa to order Israel to stop its military operation in Gaza, particularly in Rafah, where the Israeli military is conducting an offensive.
South Africa, last week, approached the ICJ, seeking a ceasefire in Gaza and a halt in Israel's military operation against Hamas in Gaza triggered following the group's cross-border attack on Israel on October 7 last year. South Africa said it was necessary to ensure the survival of Palestinians in the coastal enclave.
This request is part of a larger case brought before the World Court by South Africa that accused Israel of committing genocide.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR: 10 POINTS
Several Israeli news outlets reported on Thursday that the Jewish state was anticipating the aftermath of the ruling and officials were concerned that it could be a judgment to either stop the offensive in Rafah or halt the war entirely, according to The Times of Israel.
Notably, the rulings of the ICJ, the highest UN body for disputes between states, are binding, and it has no power to enforce a decision. However, the decision carry international weight and could lead to further isolation of Israel's allies over its war against Hamas that is nearly approaching its eighth month.
The ICJ ruling could potentially add legal pressure on Israel after the International Criminal Court (ICC) said on Monday that it sought arrest warrants for top Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Hamas leaders.
Ahead of the ICJ ruling, an Israeli government spokesperson, was defiant about his country's military operation in Gaza. He said, "No power on Earth will stop Israel from protecting its citizens and going after Hamas in Gaza."
Meanwhile, 60 Palestinians were killed in aerial and ground strikes across the Gaza Strip as Israeli forces were involved in a close combat with Hamas fighters in various areas of Rafah, according to health officials and Hamas media.
Residents said that Israeli tanks advanced further in Rafah's southeast region, reached the city's western district of Yibna, and continued to operate in three eastern suburbs
Three US troops suffered non-combat injuries while erecting a temporary pier off the Gaza coast for a humanitarian aid camp, US officials said on Thursday, adding that one was admitted to an Israeli hospital in a critical condition. The injuries reported were the first for US troops amid the operation to bring in humanitarian aid to the coastal enclave.
Even as Egypt on Wednesday indicated its exit as a mediator in the stalled ceasefire talks, Cairo said it remained committed to reaching a deal on halting Israel's operation in Gaza and securing the release of the remaining hostages.
Apart from Egypt, Qatar and the US have been attempting to restart talks to chalk out a phased agreement to enforce a truce in Gaza and ensure the hostages' release.
Meanwhile, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) director William Burns is set to meet with David Barnea, the chief of the Israeli intelligence agency, Mossad, and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in an attempt to restart the talks for the release of hostages, two officials told The Times of Israel on Thursday.
On the other hand, Netanyahu is expected to address a joint meeting of Congress soon, according to Republican US House Speaker Mike Johnson. Delivering a keynote speech at the Israeli embassy's annual Independence Day reception, Johnson said it would be "a strong show of support for the Israeli government in their time of greatest need".
