News - Middle East: Hamas says it will commit to a potential International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling mandating a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, which is enduring a genocidal Israeli war if the Israeli regime adheres to such a verdict too.

The Palestinian resistance movement made the remarks in a statement on Thursday, a day before the court is expected to hand down the ruling in a case lodged against it by South Africa late last month.
Hamas "is following with great interest the deliberations of the International Court of Justice following the request submitted by South Africa to the court to stop the genocide against our people, especially in Gaza," the statement said."In the event of a decision by the court in The Hague to cease fire, the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas will commit to a ceasefire as long as the enemy adheres to it," it added.
The Israeli regime has been waging war against Gaza since October 7, 2023, following an operation carried out by the Palestinian territory's resistance groups, which led to the captivity of hundreds.
Around 25,900 Palestinians, some 70 percent of whom are women, children, and adolescents, have been killed in the brutal onslaught so far, while 64,110 others have been injured.
The Hamas' statement further said the movement "will release the Israeli prisoners held by it if the occupation releases the Palestinian prisoners, who have been detained by the regime."
It also demanded that "the Zionist enemy end its 18-year blockade on Gaza and allow all necessary aid for the relief of Gaza's people and [the territory's] reconstruction."
The regime imposed the crippling siege in 2007 after Hamas won a landslide victory in parliamentary elections to rule the territory.
Israel has tightened the siege since the onset of the war, preventing the flow of food, water, fuel, medicine, and electricity into the coastal sliver.