THE HAGUE, January 26. /TASS/. The United Nations International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ordered that Israel take all necessary measures to prevent acts of genocide in the Gaza Strip, ICJ President Joan Donoghue said.

The judge read out the ruling on the lawsuit filed by South Africa against Israel for possible violations of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (known as the Genocide Convention).

In accordance with its obligations under the Genocide Convention, Israel shall, "in relation to Palestinians in Gaza, take all measures within its power to prevent the commission of all acts within the scope of Article II of this Convention." In particular, Donoghue emphasized, this includes "(a) killing members of the group; (b) causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; (c) deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; and (d) imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group."

"The State of Israel shall ensure with immediate effect that its military does not commit any acts described in point 1 above," the judge said.

In addition, the ICJ ordered Israel to submit a report on the measures taken within one month.

"The Court recalls that its Orders <…> have binding effect," Donoghue added.