World Court Ruling Shows Consensus to End Israel’s War in Gaza, Palestinian Authority Says

A displaced Palestinians boy carries pieces of scrap metal as he walks between destroyed buildings in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on May 24, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Hamas movement. (AFP)
A displaced Palestinians boy carries pieces of scrap metal as he walks between destroyed buildings in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on May 24, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Hamas movement. (AFP)
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World Court Ruling Shows Consensus to End Israel’s War in Gaza, Palestinian Authority Says

A displaced Palestinians boy carries pieces of scrap metal as he walks between destroyed buildings in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on May 24, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Hamas movement. (AFP)
A displaced Palestinians boy carries pieces of scrap metal as he walks between destroyed buildings in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on May 24, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Hamas movement. (AFP)

The Palestinian Authority welcomed the World Court's order on Friday for Israel to halt its operations in the city of Rafah, saying it represents an international consensus to end the war in Gaza, presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh told Reuters.

Hamas, which governs Gaza, also issued a statement welcoming the decision, but told Reuters that it fell short of recognizing that other parts of the enclave are under attack.

"We believe it is not enough since the occupation's aggression across the Gaza Strip, especially in northern Gaza, is just as brutal and dangerous," senior Hamas official Basem Naim said.

Hamas called on the United Nations Security Council to implement the International Court of Justice decision, he said, adding that the group welcomes the court's request to allow investigation committees to reach the Gaza Strip to probe allegations of genocide against the Palestinian people.

Israel has strongly denied it has carried out acts of genocide in its war in Gaza, which is now in its eighth month.

"Hamas pledges to cooperate with the investigation committees," Naim told Reuters.



US Defers Removal of Some Lebanese, Citing Israel-Hezbollah Tensions

Smoke billows from a site targeted by Lebanon's Hezbollah, along the northern Israeli border with Lebanon on July 25, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (AFP)
Smoke billows from a site targeted by Lebanon's Hezbollah, along the northern Israeli border with Lebanon on July 25, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (AFP)
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US Defers Removal of Some Lebanese, Citing Israel-Hezbollah Tensions

Smoke billows from a site targeted by Lebanon's Hezbollah, along the northern Israeli border with Lebanon on July 25, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (AFP)
Smoke billows from a site targeted by Lebanon's Hezbollah, along the northern Israeli border with Lebanon on July 25, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (AFP)

The United States is deferring the removal of certain Lebanese citizens from the country, President Joe Biden said on Friday, citing humanitarian conditions in southern Lebanon amid tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.

The deferred designation, which lasts 18 months, allows Lebanese citizens to remain in the country with the right to work, according to a memorandum Biden sent to the Department of Homeland Security.

"Humanitarian conditions in southern Lebanon have significantly deteriorated due to tensions between Hezbollah and Israel," Biden said in the memo.

"While I remain focused on de-escalating the situation and improving humanitarian conditions, many civilians remain in danger; therefore, I am directing the deferral of removal of certain Lebanese nationals who are present in the United States."

Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah have been trading fire since Hezbollah announced a "support front" with Palestinians shortly after its ally Hamas attacked southern Israeli border communities on Oct. 7, triggering Israel's military assault in Gaza.

The fighting in Lebanon has killed more than 100 civilians and more than 300 Hezbollah fighters, according to a Reuters tally, and led to levels of destruction in Lebanese border towns and villages not seen since the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war.

On the Israeli side, 10 Israeli civilians, a foreign agricultural worker and 20 Israeli soldiers have been killed. Tens of thousands have been evacuated from both sides of the border.