Israel Strikes Gaza’s Rafah after Top UN Court Orders it to Halt Offensive

Smoke rises after an Israeli airstrike in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, 24 May 2024. EPA/HAITHAM IMAD
Smoke rises after an Israeli airstrike in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, 24 May 2024. EPA/HAITHAM IMAD
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Israel Strikes Gaza’s Rafah after Top UN Court Orders it to Halt Offensive

Smoke rises after an Israeli airstrike in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, 24 May 2024. EPA/HAITHAM IMAD
Smoke rises after an Israeli airstrike in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, 24 May 2024. EPA/HAITHAM IMAD

Israel bombed the Gaza Strip, including Rafah, on Saturday, a day after the top UN court ordered it to halt military operations in the southern city.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) also demanded the immediate release of all hostages still held by Palestinian militants, hours after the Israeli military announced troops had recovered the bodies of three more of the captives from northern Gaza.

The Hague-based court, whose orders are legally binding but lack direct enforcement mechanisms, also ordered Israel to keep open the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza, which it closed earlier this month at the start of its assault on the city.

Israel gave no indication it was preparing to change course in Rafah, insisting that the court had got it wrong.

"Israel has not and will not carry out military operations in the Rafah area that create living conditions that could cause the destruction of the Palestinian civilian population, in whole or in part," National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi said in a joint statement with Israel's foreign ministry spokesman.

Hours after the ICJ ruling, Israel carried out strikes on the Gaza Strip early Saturday while clashes between the Israeli army and the armed wing of Hamas continued.

Palestinian witnesses and AFP teams reported Israeli strikes in Rafah and the central city of Deir al-Balah.



Egypt Arrests Travel Agents for Illegally Facilitating Hajj Trips

Regular pilgrims performed the Hajj without significant difficulties. (Egyptian Ministry of Solidarity)
Regular pilgrims performed the Hajj without significant difficulties. (Egyptian Ministry of Solidarity)
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Egypt Arrests Travel Agents for Illegally Facilitating Hajj Trips

Regular pilgrims performed the Hajj without significant difficulties. (Egyptian Ministry of Solidarity)
Regular pilgrims performed the Hajj without significant difficulties. (Egyptian Ministry of Solidarity)

Egypt is prosecuting tourism companies for illegally facilitating pilgrims’ travel to Makkah, following reports about the death of hundreds of Egyptian pilgrims during this year’s Hajj season.
On Thursday, the Public Prosecution said it kicked off urgent investigations into tourism companies that arranged the travel of “irregular” pilgrims. It also detained, for four days, two of the defendants accused of “wrongfully causing the death in Alexandria of a woman because of the lack of the appropriate transportation and accommodation” during her travel”.
The Public Prosecution also detained an official of another tourism company. The man is facing a lawsuit submitted by the two sons of a woman who had died during the pilgrimage.
Last week, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly ordered 16 tourism companies to be stripped of their licenses and referred their managers to the public prosecutor’s office for illegally facilitating pilgrims’ travel to Makkah.
The Parliament’s Tourism and Aviation Committee called for developing a new mechanism to grant visas of various types to Egyptians through coordination with the Saudi side and the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The committee convened on Wednesday and saw demands from a number of representatives to open investigations into the tourism companies that illegally facilitated the travel of pilgrims to Makkah, which led to a number of deaths due to the lack of appropriate services.
In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, MP Amani Al-Shaouli, Secretary of the Tourism and Aviation Committee, stressed that Parliament will follow up with the ministries of Tourism and Foreign Affairs to implement the committee’s recommendations and address any loopholes that are being exploited to violate the laws regulating the performance of Hajj, in coordination with the Saudi authorities.