NICK GAMMON/AFP
The top United Nations court on Friday ordered Israel to halt military operations in Rafah "immediately", a landmark ruling likely to increase mounting international pressure on Israel more than seven months into the Gaza war.
The International Court of Justice also ruled Israel must keep open the key Rafah crossing for "unhindered" humanitarian aid and urged the "unconditional" release of hostages taken by Hamas during its October 7 assault.
Hamas hailed the UN top court's ruling but criticised its decision to exclude the rest of war-torn Gaza from the order.
The Palestinian militant group said that it expected the ICJ ruling to "put an end to the aggression and genocide against our people throughout the Gaza Strip, and not just in Rafah".
ICJ rulings are legally binding but the court has no concrete means to enforce them.
For example, it ordered Russia to halt its invasion of Ukraine, to no avail.
