Palestinian PM: UN Court Decision Will End Israel's Era of Impunity

Palestine (Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said on Friday, January 26 that the decision by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) "affirms the end of the era of Israeli impunity."

His comments came in a statement received by Anadolu in response to the ICJ ruling, which ordered Israel to take action to prevent acts of genocide against Palestinians and improve the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.

"This decision means the end of the era of Israeli impunity, and this forces countries that support Israel to stop supporting and helping Israel," he said, citing Antara.

"We hope that the court's decision will include an immediate ceasefire, considering the severe suffering our people are experiencing in the region... daily massacres claim the lives of hundreds of people, mostly children, and women, in addition to the spread of famine and epidemics among those affected trapped in shelters," he said.

Shtayyeh said the response to South Africa's complaint had a "high level of significance," and placed Israel "on trial as a war criminal... the first time Israel has stood in this capacity before the International Court of Justice."

He expressed his country's gratitude towards South Africa "for the presentation of court papers and professional arguments condemning Israel for its crimes against the Palestinian people."

Shtayyeh also expressed his hope that "the court will continue its deliberations until a final decision is issued, condemning Israel for its acts of genocide and ethnic cleansing against the Palestinian people, unprecedented since World War 2."

The prime minister held Israel "fully responsible for the grave deterioration of humanitarian conditions experienced by our people in the region."

He called for "pressure to be exerted to force Israel to stop its aggression as well as facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid and relief supplies to the region."

The ICJ ordered Israel on Friday (26/1) to take "all measures within its authority" to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza, but did not issue a mandate regarding a ceasefire.

Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas that Tel Aviv says killed 1,200 people.

At least 26,083 Palestinians were killed, most of whom were women and children, and 64,487 others were injured, according to Palestinian health authorities.

Israel's offensive has displaced 85 percent of Gaza's population amid shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while 60 percent of the territory's infrastructure was damaged or destroyed, according to the United Nations (UN).