Top UN court rules Israel must prevent genocide in Gaza, falls short of ordering a cease-fire

• The U.N.'s highest court on Friday ordered Israel to take all measures within its power to prevent acts of genocide against the Palestinian people.
• The International Court of Justice judgment was issued in response to a full case submitted by the South African government on Dec. 29, which accused Israel of genocide against the Palestinian people.
• The court said it has jurisdiction to rule on the case and will not be dismissing it, despite Israel's request to do so.

The U.N.'s highest court on Friday ordered Israel to take all measures within its power to prevent acts of genocide against the Palestinian people, but fell short of insisting that Israel should implement a cease-fire.

It comes as Israeli forces continue a military campaign in the Gaza Strip that has so far claimed more than 20,000 lives, according to the Hamas-run Palestinian Health Ministry.

The court further ordered Israel to submit a report within one month on the steps it is taking.

"Israel must, in accordance with its obligations under the genocide convention, in relation to Palestinians in Gaza, take all measures within its power to prevent the commission of acts under article 2 of the convention, in particular, a) killing members of the group, b) causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group, c) inflicting upon the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole and in part, and d) imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group," a reading of the International Court of Justice decision said Friday.

The court said it has jurisdiction to rule on the genocide case and will not be dismissing it, despite Israel's request to do so.

"Israel must ensure, with immediate effect, that its