The Gaza Border Events - Legal Aspects

In April 2018, two petitions were filed with Israel's Supreme Court sitting as the High Court of Justice against the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of General Staff and the IDF Military Advocate General, challenging the legality of the IDF's Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) applicable in the border area between Israel and the Gaza Strip (file reference numbers HCJ 3003/18 & HCJ 3250/18). The petitions were filed by a number of Israeli and Gaza Strip non-governmental organizations.

The Supreme Court published its decision on 24 May 2018, unanimously rejecting the petition and finding in favor of the State both with regards to the factual circumstances of the border events and the State's legal positions.

• A translation of the Court's decision, delivered by President Esther Hayut, Deputy President Hanan Melcer and Justice Neal Hendel, may be found at the Supreme Court’s website. 
• For a detailed overview of Israel's submissions to the Court, see here.
• Links to the State's submissions to the Court in Hebrew of 29 April, 6 May and 16 May 2018. 

For factual information about the Gaza border events, see here.