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.



Over 50,000 Have Fled Lebanon for Syria Amid Israeli Strikes, Says UN

Syrians, who were living in Lebanon and returned to Syria due to ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, carry belongings at the Syrian-Lebanese border, in Jdaydet Yabous, Syria, September 25, 2024. REUTERS/Yamam al Shaar/File Photo
Syrians, who were living in Lebanon and returned to Syria due to ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, carry belongings at the Syrian-Lebanese border, in Jdaydet Yabous, Syria, September 25, 2024. REUTERS/Yamam al Shaar/File Photo
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Over 50,000 Have Fled Lebanon for Syria Amid Israeli Strikes, Says UN

Syrians, who were living in Lebanon and returned to Syria due to ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, carry belongings at the Syrian-Lebanese border, in Jdaydet Yabous, Syria, September 25, 2024. REUTERS/Yamam al Shaar/File Photo
Syrians, who were living in Lebanon and returned to Syria due to ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, carry belongings at the Syrian-Lebanese border, in Jdaydet Yabous, Syria, September 25, 2024. REUTERS/Yamam al Shaar/File Photo

The UN refugee chief said Saturday that more than 50,000 people had fled to Syria amid escalating Israeli air strikes on Lebanon.

"More than 50,000 Lebanese and Syrians living in Lebanon have now crossed into Syria fleeing Israeli air strikes," Filippo Grandi said on X.

He added that "well over 200,000 people are displaced inside Lebanon".

A UNHCR spokesman said the total number of displaced in Lebanon had reached 211,319, including 118,000 just since Israel dramatically ramped up its air strikes on Monday, AFP reported.

The remainder had fled their homes since Hezbollah militants in Lebanon began low-intensity cross-border attacks a day after its Palestinian ally Hamas staged its unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7.

Israel has shifted the focus of its operation from Gaza to Lebanon, where heavy bombing has killed more than 700 people, according to Lebanon's health ministry, as cross-border exchanges escalated over the past week.

Most of those Lebanese deaths came on Monday, the deadliest day of violence since Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war.

"Relief operations are underway, including by UNHCR, to help all those in need, in coordination with both governments," Grandi said.