South Africa hails ICJ's Gaza ruling as 'decisive victory' as reactions pour in

South Africa has hailed as a “decisive victory” the International Court of Justice’s ruling that Israel must do everything it can to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza.

“Today marks a decisive victory for the international rule of law and a significant milestone in the search for justice for the Palestinian people," South Africa's Foreign Ministry said in a Friday statement. 

"South Africa sincerely hopes that Israel will not act to frustrate the application of this Order, as it has publicly threatened to do, but that it will instead act to comply with it fully, as it is bound to do."

It said South Africa would continue to act within the institutions of global governance to protect the rights of Palestinians in Gaza.

ICJ orders Israel to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza

The United Nations

"Third States are now on notice of the existence of a serious risk of genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza," Pretoria said.

"This necessarily imposes an obligation on all States to cease funding and facilitating Israel's military actions, which are plausibly genocidal."

The Spanish government also welcomed the UN court’s Gaza ruling.

"We welcome the decision of the International Court of Justice and ask the parties to apply the provisional measures it has decreed," Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez wrote on social network X, the former Twitter.

Ankara welcomes ICJ ruling 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he hoped the UN court ruling would halt "inhumane" attacks against civilians.

"I find the interim injunction decision taken by the International Court of Justice regarding the inhumane attacks in Gaza valuable and welcome it," Erdogan said in a social media statement.

"We hope that Israel's attacks against women, children and the elderly will come to an end," he said, adding that Turkey would continue trying to "establish a ceasefire and ensure the path to permanent peace."

 ‘Israel must be forced to comply with ruling’

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki said in a televised speech on Friday they welcome the provisional measures ordered by the ICJ.

"The ICJ judges assessed the facts and the law, they ruled in favor of humanity and international law," he said.

Al-Maliki added that Palestine calls on all states to ensure the measures ordered by the court are implemented "including by Israel, the occupying power."

Explainer: What is the significance of South Africa dragging Israel to ICJ?

South Africa has formally lodged a case against the Israeli regime at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over the genocide of Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Palestinian resistance group Hamas also hailed the "important" ruling, saying it "contributes to isolating Israel".

"The (International) Court of Justice's decision is an important development which contributes to isolating Israel and exposing its crimes in Gaza," the group said in a statement.

The movement has called for Israel to be forced to implement the court’s decisions.

Scotland calls for 'immediate ceasefire'

Scotland’s Prime Minister Humza Yousaf also reacted to the court’s interim ruling, saying the killing and destruction in Gaza must stop.

“Urgent humanitarian assistance must be provided to prevent more suffering. Hostages must be released immediately,” he wrote on X.

“With such death and destruction, we will continue to call for an immediate ceasefire.”

The European Union said it wanted "immediate" implementation of a United Nations court ruling that Israel must prevent genocidal acts in Gaza.

"Orders of the International Court of Justice are binding on the parties and they must comply with them. The European Union expects their full, immediate and effective implementation," Brussels said in a statement.

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