THE Saudi Arabia and other countries in the region today welcomed the decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordering an “immediate” end to the Israeli operation in Rafah, the southernmost city of the Gaza Strip.

Riyadh “welcomes this decision, which is a positive step in favor of the moral and legal rights of the Palestinian people, but at the same time underlines the importance of international decisions to include all Palestinian territories,” Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

The Saudi kingdom “reiterates its appeal to the international community to assume its responsibilities and put an end to all forms of aggression against the Palestinian people,” the statement added.

Egyptian and Qatari mediators also welcomed the ICJ ruling, with Cairo calling on Israel to “comply with its legal obligations” and “implement all interim measures decided” by the Court.

The United Arab Emirates, for its part, appealed “to stop the escalation throughout the occupied Palestinian territory and to alleviate the devastating and dangerous humanitarian situation” that has been imposed on civilians.

The UN’s top judicial body today ordered Israel to suspend its military operations in Rafah.