Israel launched more airstrikes on Rafah early on Monday morning and freed two hostages, as international condemnation grew over a potential ground attack on the southern Gaza city, where more than a million people have sought refuge from the war against Hamas.

The hostages were freed overnight during a special forces mission in Rafah. The men, both Israeli, were transferred to Israel and were in good medical condition, the military said.

Dutch court orders halt of F-35 parts shipment to Israel

A Dutch court ordered the Netherlands to halt shipments of F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel, citing a “clear risk” of human-rights law violations amid the ongoing military assault in the Gaza Strip.

The appeals tribunal in The Hague overturned a previous December ruling and gave the government a seven-day deadline to cease deliveries of parts for the Lockheed Martin aircraft.

“Israel’s attacks have caused a disproportionate number of civilian casualties, including thousands of children,” the court said. Due to its international obligations, “the Netherlands must prohibit the export of military goods if there is a clear risk of serious violations of the humanitarian law of war”.

Read more: UN court tells Israel to protect Gazans, avoids ceasefire

A permit was granted for the export of the parts in 2016, but that was looked at again by the minister of foreign trade when Hamas, which is labelled a terrorist group by the US and the European Union, attacked Israel in October last year.

The ruling is a victory for human rights organisations Oxfam Novib, Vredesbeweging PAX Nederland and the Rights Forum.

Spare parts for F-35s originating from the US are being stored in the Dutch airbase at Woensdrecht from which they are shipped to several European countries and Israel. The judgment hit while Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte was visiting Israel and the Palestinian territories.

The Dutch government was lodging an appeal in cassation to the Dutch Supreme Court against the judgment because it believes it is up to the state to determine its foreign policy, it said in a separate statement.

“Of course, the government respects the Court of Appeal’s judgment and will implement it,” it said.

“The Netherlands continues to call for an immediate temporary humanitarian ceasefire, and for as much humanitarian aid as possible to be allowed to reach the suffering people of Gaza,” the government said.

Israel launches more strikes on Rafah and frees two hostages

Israel launched more airstrikes on Rafah early on Monday morning and freed two hostages, as international condemnation grew over a potential ground attack on the southern Gaza city, where more than one million people have sought refuge from the war against Hamas.

The hostages were freed overnight during a special forces mission in Rafah. The men, both Israeli, were transferred to Israel and were in good medical condition, the military said.

Israel launched “a series of strikes” on the Shaboura district of Rafah, the military said. Dozens of people have died so far, Palestinian media reported, citing health officials in Gaza.

The strikes came after US President Joe Biden urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to do more to shield civilians. Israel, Biden said, shouldn’t push into Rafah without a “credible and executable plan” for their safety and support.

Netanyahu spoke to Biden on Sunday and said Israel was working on a plan to move civilians out of the area.

“Those who say that under no circumstances should we enter Rafah are basically saying: ‘Lose the war, keep Hamas there,’ ” Netanyahu told the US news channel ABC. “We are not going to let Hamas emerge victorious.”

The US as well as European and Arab states have strongly criticised Israel for preparing to move ground forces into the city, which is near Gaza’s border with Egypt.

Around half of Gaza’s 2.3 million people fled to or near Rafah at the start of the war, when Israeli forces concentrated on northern areas including Gaza City. More recently, the army has mainly focused on Khan Younis, a city to the north of Rafah.

Last week, Biden said Israel’s offensive on Gaza had been “over the top” and that there were “a lot of innocent people who are starving.”

“It’s got to stop,” he said.

Read more:

• Biden criticises Israel for ‘over the top’ Gaza offensive
• US leader urges Netanyahu to shield Rafah civilians in an attack
• A growing divide between Israel and the world: Balance of Power

Netanyahu has insisted the war must continue until Hamas is destroyed.

The Israel-Hamas conflict began on 7 October when militants from the Iran-backed group broke out of Gaza and swarmed southern Israeli communities, killing 1,200 people. Almost 28,000 people have been killed by Israel’s retaliatory air and ground attack on Gaza, according to health officials in the Hamas-run Palestinian territory.

Israel says it has killed 12,000 Hamas fighters.

Hamas abducted around 250 people during its incursion. Roughly 100 were freed during a week-long truce that ended on 1 December. The Israeli military has said that of the roughly 135 captives still in Gaza, 31 are dead.

The two hostages were rescued at around 2am local time, according to the military’s chief spokesperson, Daniel Hagari. They were named as Simon Marman (60) and Louis Har (70).

“The special forces breached a building in the heart of Rafah,” Hagari said on Monday. “On the second floor, Louis and Fernando were held by armed Hamas terrorists.”

Ship in Red Sea signals all-Muslim crew to avoid Houthi attack

Commercial ships in the Red Sea are getting more creative in their efforts to avoid attacks by Yemen’s Houthi militants.

Livestock carrier Cattle Force appealed to the Houthis as co-religionists in an apparent bid to ensure safe passage. On Sunday, as it approached the narrow Bab el-Mandeb Strait off Yemen’s coast, it changed its destination signal — something widely available on the internet for most vessels — from an Iraqi port to: “All Crew Muslims.”

Once safely through the strait on Monday morning, it switched back to Iraq’s Umm Qasr, according to tracking data analysed by Bloomberg.

The change was an apparent message to the Houthis, who say they’re targeting ships linked to Israel and its allies to pressure them over the war in Gaza.

The Houthi campaign has upended global shipping and pushed up transport costs as ships face detours and extra fees for insurance and security. DM

Read more in Daily Maverick: Israel-Palestine War