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Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens): “There are also rules when it comes to the right to self-defense.”
Photo: Florian Gaertner / photothek / IMAGO
Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) urged Israel to show restraint following the ruling by the International Court of Justice. “There are also rules when it comes to the right to self-defense and international humanitarian law also applies to the fight against terrorists,” she said. Israel must adhere to these rules "even in a difficult environment" "in which Hamas breaks all the rules and abuses people as protective shields."
“The International Court of Justice did not decide on the main issue, but rather ordered provisional measures in the interim legal protection proceedings,” explained Baerbock. »These are binding under international law. But Israel must also adhere to this." The Court also made it clear "that Israel's actions in Gaza follow the barbaric terror of October 7th, and recalled that Hamas is also bound by international humanitarian law and should finally release all hostages must. We will support this with all our might."
She repeated her call for a “humanitarian ceasefire – also so that all hostages are finally released.” Baerbock also expressed “extreme concern about the desperate situation of the people in Chan Junis.”
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Decision in The Hague: Israel must provide humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip
“Israel urgently needs to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza and adapt its operations,” said Baerbock. "Many hundreds of thousands of people have sought protection in the south of Gaza on Israeli instructions," argued the Foreign Minister. "They can't just disappear into thin air."
The United Nations' highest court had recently determined that there was a risk of genocide in the Gaza Strip. The judges only partially complied with an urgent request from South Africa, which had called for an immediate cessation of Israel's military actions. But Israel must now take protective measures and also allow humanitarian aid, as the judges found.
The Gaza war was triggered by the brutal massacre by the Islamist Hamas and other extremist groups in Israel on October 7th. Because of the many victims and the great suffering of the civilian population in the Gaza Strip, Israel has come under strong international criticism.
France also called on Israel to adhere to “international humanitarian law.” The Foreign Ministry in Paris “condemned” the shelling of a UN refugee shelter in Khan Yunis, in which, according to the UN, 13 people were killed on Wednesday. According to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), the building was hit by two tank missiles.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacted cautiously to the court decision. "Israel's respect for international law is unshakable," said Netanyahu in a video message. At the same time, Israel will continue to “defend itself against Hamas, a genocidal terrorist organization.”
The Foreign Minister of the Palestinian Authority, Riad Malki, welcomed the decision against it. »The judges of the International Court of Justice proceeded on the basis of the facts and the law. They ruled in favor of humanity and international law," said the statement, which was published in Ramallah on Friday. All states, including Israel, are now called upon to implement the decision.
The radical Islamic group Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, called the ICJ decision "an important development that contributes to isolating Israel and exposing its crimes in Gaza," according to a statement released by the Palestinian organization on Friday.
mfh/dpa