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The highest court of the UN announced, Wednesday January 24, that it would render its decision on Friday on urgent measures requested by South Africa, which accuses Israel of “genocide” Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The International Court of Justice (ICJ), which sits in The Hague, could potentially order Israel to stop its military campaign in Gaza, sparked by the unprecedented Hamas attack on October 7. However, the court has no power over the application of its decisions.
A deadly strike on a UN shelter in the Gaza Strip. Two tanks opened fire on a UN training center turned refuge for displaced people in Khan Younes, in the south of the Gaza Strip, causing “nine dead and 75 injured”declared a UN official on Wednesday on X (formerly Twitter). “Two tanks hit a building housing 800 people”, specified Thomas White, director in Gaza of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), while the Israeli army intensified its operations against the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas in Khan Younes, which it encircles. These strikes constitute “a flagrant violation of the fundamental rules of war”estimates Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNRWA.
Soon a new truce between Israel and Hamas ? US President Joe Biden’s Middle East adviser, Brett McGurk, “is located in Cairo” to discuss a “break” in the fighting and the release of the hostages, according to Washington. “I can’t tell you if and when we can get there, but the conversations are very sober and serious to try to put in place another hostage agreement”said John Kirby, White House spokesman.
Khan Younes at the center of the fighting. Early Wednesday, witnesses reported Israeli military helicopter fire around Khan Younes, the main town in the south of the Gaza Strip, where local Hamas leaders are hiding, according to Israel. The Israeli army claims to have “surrounded” this city and ordered the population to evacuate.
A two-state solution still rejected. Until now, the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opposes the creation of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel. This rejection of the two-state solution is “unacceptable” and risk of “prolong the conflict”, warned UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres before the Security Council.