War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz announced Friday the IDF will continue fighting Hamas and searching for Israeli hostages in Gaza, regardless of an International Court of Justice order demanding Israel cease military operations in Rafah.
“The State of Israel has embarked on a just and committed campaign after a brutal terrorist organization massacred our citizens, raped our women, kidnapped our children and fired missiles at the centers of our cities,” Gantz said in response to the ICJ decision.
“The state of Israel is obligated to continue fight to return its hostages and ensure the safety of its citizens, at any time and anywhere, including in Rafah,” Gantz said.
“We will continue to act according to international law in Rafah and wherever we operate, and make an effort to avoid harming the civilian population, not because of the Court in The Hague, but first of all because of who we are,” he added — refuting claims of petitioner South Africa and the Court itself that Israel is violating international law in its bid to eliminate Hamas, which embeds itself within the civilian population.
Hostage family members of the Tikva Forum expressed outrage on Friday in response to the ICJ decision ordering Israel to cease military operations in Rafah.
“We demand the Israeli government and the War Cabinet reject outright the order issued by the International Court of Justice in The Hague,” the families said.
“As long as our loved ones are held captive by Hamas, the government must continue the war and hit Hamas in the hardest way.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a ministerial meeting via telephone on Friday afternoon regarding the decision by the Court, the Prime Minister’s Office said.
Participating in the meeting were Foreign Minister Israel Katz, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and various others.
