Israel's planned assault on Rafah will violate ICJ orders: UN rights chief

Israel's planned ground assault on Rafah in Gaza would contravene the orders issued by the United Nation's highest court, the UN human rights chief has said.

"I fail to see how such an operation could be consistent with the binding provisional measures issued by the International Court of Justice," Volker Turk told the UN Human Rights Council on Thursday.

On January 26, the International Court of Justice in The Hague — while stopping short of ordering an immediate halt to the war in Gaza — said Israel must "prevent the commission of all acts within the scope" of the Genocide Convention.

The ICJ said Israel must facilitate "urgently needed" humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territory, under relentless bombardment and siege since an attack in Israel by Hamas on October 7.

"The prospect of an Israeli ground assault on Rafah would take the nightmare being inflicted on people in Gaza into a new dimension," said Turk.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the army will launch a ground invasion of Rafah in southern Gaza — where an estimated 1.4 million Palestinian civilians have sought refuge.

'Are these Hamas combatants'

Meirav Eilon Shahar, Israel's ambassador in Geneva, told the Human Rights Council it was an "echo chamber where the human rights of Israelis and Jews mean nothing".

She was accompanied by Aviva Siegel and Raz Ben Ami — two Israeli hostages who were freed by Hamas in November. Their husbands are still being held in Gaza.

"These halls should have been a symbol of hope for Aviva and Raz and all the hostages; that the world would act for their human rights and for their release. Yet unfortunately, they have become a mere footnote in the discourse of this council," said Eilon Shahar.

"You think if Israel stops this war today, Hamas will return all our hostages tomorrow?" she said, addressing Turk.

"We must go after Hamas, or they will continue to come after us."


The Health Ministry in Gaza said 104 people were killed and more than 750 injured after Israeli soldiers opened fire on civilians at an aid distribution point earlier Thursday.

Palestinian ambassador Ibrahim Khraishi interjected to ask Eilon Shahar what she thought of the incident.

"Are these human shields? Are these Hamas combatants?", asked Khraishi, who received sustained applause.