The United Nations’ top court declined to make a ruling Friday on whether Israel is committing genocide in the Gaza Strip, though judges allowed the case to continue and issued a provisional warning telling Jerusalem to take all steps to mitigate the collateral damage, ABC News reports.
“The court is acutely aware of the extent of the human tragedy that is unfolding in the region and is deeply concerned about the continuing loss of life and human suffering,” The International Court of Justice president Joan Donoghue told the courtroom. The case, brought by South Africa, is expected to continue for years and an interim provisional ruling could result in the court ordering the IDF to halt operations in Gaza after three months of slaughter in response to the October 7 attacks.