Israel officials 'expect ICJ will order stop to Rafah operations': report

Israeli officials reportedly expect the UN's highest court to order Israel to stop its operations in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah.

The Israel Hayom newspaper reported that an Israeli diplomatic source said experts had evaluated there was a high likelihood the International Court of Justice (ICJ) would issue a ruling in this regard after South Africa asked it to order Tel Aviv end its operations throughout the Palestinian enclave.

The ICJ, also known as the World Court, is set to rule on Friday on a request from Pretoria that will order Israel to end its military offensive in Rafah on the border with Egypt.

The diplomatic source cited by Israel Hayom said the two possible situations were the ICJ ruling that Israel must end its campaign in Rafah or attempting to stop Israel's offensive across all of the Gaza Strip.

A ruling that Israel must stop its war on Gaza may restrict its efforts to carry on with the offensive.

Israel Hayom said one worry was that the ICJ imposing measures may lead to a United Nations Security Council draft resolution that Tel Aviv would need Washington to block.

In response to a request for comment, the ICJ's information department told The New Arab it could not comment on decisions of the court before they've been read out in the courtroom.

It added that the ICJ's orders are legally binding on the parties to a case.

Israel Hayom had said the tribunal "does not have binding authority".