ICJ rejects request for urgent security measures in Rafah as Israel plans to expand its ground assault

The top UN court has rejected a South African request for urgent measures to safeguard Rafah, yet stressed that Israel must respect earlier measures ordered in the preliminary stage of a landmark genocide case, Reuters reported on Friday.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) said the "perilous situation" in the Gaza Strip and in Rafah particularly "demands immediate and effective implementation of the provisional measures" per its order on January 26, and "does not demand the indication of additional provisional measures."

The court added that Israel“remains bound to fully comply with its obligations under the Genocide Convention and with the said order, including by ensuring the safety and security of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip,” the report added.

Israel has said earlier this week that it is planning to expand its ground assault into Rafah, where over a million Palestinians have sought refuge from the offensive that has laid waste to much of the Gaza Strip since Hamas militants attacked Israel on October 7.

The Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to 28,775 with 68,552 others wounded, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Friday.

The ministry said in a press statement that the Israeli army had killed 112 Palestinians and wounded 157 others during the past 24 hours.

At least 11 Palestinians were killed in Israeli air strikes on Rafah, Gaza's southernmost city, according to Xinhua, citing Palestinian medical sources.

Hospital under siege

The largest functioning hospital in Gaza was under siege on Friday, leaving patients and doctors helpless while warplanes struck Rafah, the last refuge for Palestinians in the enclave, Reuters reported.

The Israeli military stayed in Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis after raiding the facility early on Thursday morning. Five intensive care patients died due to power outages and lack of oxygen supply on Friday, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

According to Israel, it moved into the hospital because Hamas militants were hiding there. More than 20 militants who were said to have participated in the October 7 attacks on Israel and dozens of others were detained by the Israeli military on Friday, while Hamas denied there were militants in the hospital, describing the claim as "lies aimed to cover up for destroying hospitals," the Reuters report added. 

According to the Gaza Health Ministry, Israeli soldiers stopped an aid convoy outside the hospital, which was unable to deliver supplies. The military said it provided aid including baby food and water.

The ministry said Israeli forces inside Nasser Hospital forced women and children into the maternity department, which it turned into a military area. Women were not allowed to take any of their belongings.

The incursion at the hospital raised alarm about patients, medical workers and displaced Palestinians sheltering there, according to the report. 

"There are still critically injured and sick patients that are inside the hospital," said Tarik Jasarevic, spokesperson for the World Health Organization, which said its staff was trying to reach the hospital after the Israeli raid.

Red Sea crisis

U.S. and UK warplanes launched multiple air strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen's Red Sea port city of Hodeidah on Friday, the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported.

The strikes targeted Houthi camps in three districts, including the northern districts of Al-Zuhrah and Alluheyah, and Bait al-Faqih district, to the south of the port city, said the television station without providing details on any casualties.

Earlier in the day, a UK maritime security agency reported a new missile attack on a commercial vessel near Yemen's port city of Hodeidah, the second attack in less than 24 hours.

"The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency received a report of an incident in the vicinity of 70 nautical miles north west of al-Mukha (south of Yemen's Hodeidah port city). The master reports the vessel was attacked by a missile and reports an explosion in close proximity," the UKMTO said in a statement on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

Yemen's armed Houthi group on Friday vowed to launch more attacks on commercial shipping vessels, just a few hours after the U.S. designation of the group as a "global terrorist organization" came into effect.

"We continue to support Gaza (Hamas) by all available means, and we continue to prevent Israeli-linked ships from sailing in the Red Sea until the Israeli aggression on Palestinian people stops and the siege on Gaza is lifted," Mohammed Abdulsalam, the top Houthi negotiator, told al-Masirah TV.

"America is the one who encourages and supports global terrorism by supporting Israel, and it's coming to our seas and attacking our lands are terrorist acts," the station quoted Abdulsalam as saying.

"We will not be affected by the U.S. designation and sanctions," he said.

(With input from agencies)