Israel must stop Rafah offensive, says Dutch prime minister

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has called on Israel, saying that it must abide by the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ’s) order to halt the offensive on Rafah.

The ICJ, based in The Hague, delivered its ruling on 24 May, but Israel has since only escalated its attacks on Gaza’s southernmost city and is operating in the heart of Rafah.

During his call with Netanyahu, Rutte said he supported the need for an “immediate ceasefire in Gaza” and expressed support for the three-stage ceasefire plan outlined by Biden.

📞: Just spoke with @IsraeliPM Netanyahu about the absolute necessity of an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The Netherlands is calling on Hamas to accept the Israeli proposal outlined by @POTUS.

Accepting this deal would mean that the hostages will be released and that humanitarian…
— Mark Rutte (@MinPres) June 4, 2024