RAFAH: Israeli warplanes and artillery have pounded Rafah, as the government dismissed an order by the top UN court to halt its military offensive in the southern Gaza city.

An Israeli official said the government had an “intention” to restart stalled negotiations for a ceasefire over the coming days.

Israel gave no indication it was preparing to change course in Rafah, insisting the International Court of Justice had got it wrong.

But National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi, in a joint statement with the foreign ministry, said: “Israel has not and will not carry out military operations in the Rafah area that create living conditions that could cause the destruction of the Palestinian civilian population, in whole or in part.”

Hamas has welcomed the ruling but criticised the court’s decision to exclude the rest of the Palestinian territory from its order.