The United Nations' top court issued an order to Israel Friday to "immediately halt its military offensive" in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced after the ruling that he would hold a special ministerial meeting to decide how to respond. But Israeli leaders quickly signaled the nation will not comply with the decision from the U.N.'s International Court of Justice.
"No power on earth will stop Israel from protecting its citizens and going after Hamas in Gaza," Avi Hyman, the government spokesperson, said in a press briefing, the Associated Press reported.
Israel's rightwing Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir insisted in a statement that those who "demand that the State of Israel stop the war" are demanding that Israel "decree itself to cease to exist."
The U.N. court has not called for a ceasefire, but is ordering the cessation of the current military operation against Rafah. It has no power to enofrce its order, though the decision is another major international blow to Israel's support and standing in the world.
Israel's attack on Gaza, and now specifically on Rafah, is sparking increased opposition around the world. More than 35,000 Palestinians have been killing in the military assault in retaliation for an October Hamas attack in Israel that killed some 1,000 people and took hundreds of hostages.
