Israel not complying with ICJ order in Rafah: Pandor

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International Relations and Cooperation Minister Dr Naledi Pandor says they are horrified by the events in Rafah. Speaking on the sidelines of the African Union Executive Council meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Pandor says Israel is not complying with the orders of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Israel has vowed to continue bombarding the city of Rafah. There are growing international concerns over the plight of civilians, and Israeli tanks shelled the city overnight. With the Israel-Hamas conflict now in its 5th month, attention is focused on the dire situation in Rafah.

Over two million people are living there in desperate conditions.

Israel has vowed to wipe out Hamas in the southern city next to Egypt.

“The areas that we have cleared, north of Rafah, are plenty of areas, but we are working out a detailed plan to do so and that’s what we have done up to now. We are not, we are not cavalier about this. This is part of our war effort to get civilians out of harm’s way. It’s part of Hamas’ effort to keep them in harm’s way. But we have so far succeeded, and we are going to succeed again. Those who say that under no circumstances should we enter Rafah are saying, lose the war and keep Hamas there,” says Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s Prime Minister.

Minister Naledi Pandor says what’s happening in Rafah is utterly disturbing. South Africa has also requested the International Court of Justice to step in, warning that Israel’s move will result in further large scale killing, harm and destruction.

Pretoria says this will be in serious and irreparable breach, both of the genocide convention and the world’s court order. The ANC has hosted Fatah movement, one of the key players in Palestine politics.

The US state department says without a credible plan that Israel can execute. Washington will not support a full-scale military operation in Rafah.

“We do not support any military campaign in Rafah going forward, as long as they cannot account for 1, 1 million people by some estimates who are in Rafah today. Some of whom have already been displaced, some have been displaced multiple times. We think there needs to be a credible plan that they can actually execute before they undertake any military campaign in Rafah,” says Matthew Miller, United States Department Spokesperson.