Pakistan has welcomed the additional provisional measures taken by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordering Israel to cease its military offensive in Rafah, Radio Pakistan reported Saturday.

In a statement, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said Pakistan supports the application filed by South Africa before the ICJ against Israel under the 1948 Genocide Convention, in follow-up to which the Court announced additional provisional measures.

Palestinians optimistic but wary after recognition moves

As required by the latest ruling of ICJ, Israeli occupation authorities should keep the Rafah crossing open for unhindered provision of humanitarian assistance and ensure unimpeded access to the Gaza Strip of any commission of inquiry, fact-finding mission, or other investigative body mandated by the United Nations to investigate allegations of genocide.

The spokesperson said Pakistan demands immediate and unconditional implementation of the latest orders of the ICJ as well as the previous orders.

She called on the UN Security Council to play its role in ending Israel’s ongoing brutal military campaign across Gaza, allowing the unhindered flow of humanitarian assistance, taking effective measures to protect civilians in Gaza, and holding Israel accountable for its crimes.

The spokesperson reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering support for the inalienable right to self-determination of the Palestinians for a viable, secure, contiguous, and sovereign State of Palestine based on the pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank earlier welcomed the decision by Spain, Ireland, and Norway to recognize the state of Palestine, but disagreed about its significance.

The Palestinian Authority says that 142 of the 193 UN member countries already recognise a Palestinian state.