The International Court of Justice has ordered Israel to stop its military offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
The Hague-based court has said the humanitarian situation in Rafah had "deteriorated further" since its previous court order, adding the situation there was classed as "disastrous".
The order from the court is non-binding.
It comes after South Africa put in an emergency request to the ICJ for it to order Israel to stop its offensive in Rafah.
In January, the African nation formally accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in a hearing at the United Nations court.
During opening arguments, a lawyer for South Africa said the latest war is part of decades of Israeli oppression.
Israel has vehemently denied the accusations.
ICJ President Judge Nawaf Salam outlined the court's findings on Friday.
"In conformity with obligations under the Genocide Convention, Israel must immediately halt its military offensive and any other action in the Rafah governate which may inflict on the Palestinian group in Gaza conditions of life that could bring about its physical destructions in whole or in part," he said.
It comes just days after Ireland, Spain and Norway announced a joint intention to recognise the State of Palestine.
Taoiseach Simon Harris said the Government will take “whatever steps are necessary to give effect to that decision”.
