[Today's Prayer] The International Court of Justice issues an emergency order to Israel to ‘immediately stop the Rafah attack’

On the 24th (local time), the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the UN's highest court, ordered Israel to immediately stop attacking Rafah, the southernmost part of the Gaza Strip.

At a hearing held this afternoon in The Hague, the Netherlands, the ICJ ordered Israel to "immediately cease military attacks in Rafah and all other actions that could lead to the physical destruction of all or part of the living conditions of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip."

The court also requested that Israel open the Rafah checkpoint leading to Egypt to enable large-scale humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, while ensuring unrestricted access to investigate the situation on the ground.

(Omitted)

In addition, he once again demanded the immediate and unconditional release of many Israeli hostages, saying they were still detained by Hamas.

This day's judgment follows South Africa's request to the ICJ on the 10th to issue an emergency order as a temporary measure to stop Israel's attack on Rafah.

It is also the third interim order issued by the ICJ since the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas.

(Omitted)

The ICJ decision received further attention on the 20th when the International Criminal Court (ICC) requested arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of 'war crimes'.

The ICJ's additional order on this day is expected to further increase international pressure to stop attacks on the Gaza Strip and agree to a ceasefire, regardless of whether Israel complies.

(Omitted)

“Our position depends on the response to today’s decision by the ICJ,” said Josep Borrell, the EU’s High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. “We must choose between supporting the international rule of law and supporting Israel.”

Hamas also welcomed the ICJ's decision, but said, "We looked forward to the ICJ's ruling to end the invasion and genocide against our people not only in Rafah but also in the entire Gaza Strip."

However, considering that Israel has insisted on the legitimacy of the war in the Gaza Strip and has not implemented the ICJ's previous orders, it is expected that it will refuse to implement it this time as well. The ICJ's interim orders are legally binding, but the ICJ has no power to enforce them.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, an extreme right-wing member of the Israeli cabinet, fiercely criticized the ICJ's decision, saying, "History will judge those who today sided with Hamas Daesh (Islamic State) like the Nazis."

(Omitted)

Source: Yonhap News

"In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." (1 John 4:10-11)

We hear that the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to immediately stop its attack on Rafah, the southernmost part of the Gaza Strip.

Please take pity on the two peoples who have been divided from the time of Isaac and Ishmael until now because they have not been able to forgive each other. Forgive them for not having love for one another.

Now, let Israel and Palestine love one another and realize that God is love!

Let them know the love with which God loved them until He sent His only begotten Son, so that they would love one another, and that all spirit of division would be cut off!

Let them become united with one another and prepare for the coming of the Lord!