UN top court orders Israel to ‘immediately’ halt Rafah offensive

The UN’s international court of justice has ordered Israel to halt its military offensive around Rafah in southern Gaza with immediate effect.

The court president said the humanitarian situation had now become disastrous, although they stopped short of demanding a full ceasefire and have no powers to enforce the ruling.

But within minutes warplanes were carrying out strikes on central Rafah, the Israeli cabinet minister Benny Gantz said it would continue its “just and necessary” war against Hamas.