Canada opted to say as little as possible Friday about an International Court of Justice ruling that ordered Israel to prevent a genocide of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

After hours of silence from the federal government, Foreign Affairs Minister M茅lanie Joly eventually released a statement that did not directly respond to the ruling.

The court害羞草研究所檚 finding was not a final decision on the case, which Canada is following 害羞草研究所渧ery closely,害羞草研究所� Joly said.

South Africa brought the allegation that Israel is perpetrating genocide to the UN害羞草研究所檚 highest court a month ago and asked it to impose a ceasefire.

The overwhelming majority of judges instead ordered six provisional measures to limit casualties in the Gaza Strip and to ensure the preservation of evidence should the court find Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians.

The judges ruled against Israel害羞草研究所檚 request to throw out the case altogether.

Neither Joly nor Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stopped to answer questions Friday as members of the Liberal caucus gathered on Parliament Hill.

The statement reiterated Canada害羞草研究所檚 position that the government supports the court害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所渃ritical role in the peaceful settlement of disputes and its work in upholding the international rules-based order.害羞草研究所�

It added, as Trudeau has said before: 害羞草研究所淥ur support for the ICJ does not mean that we accept the premise of the case brought by South Africa.害羞草研究所�

Earlier on Friday, Liberal MPs offered mixed opinions on how Canada should respond.

It is incumbent on Canada, a signatory to the international court, to 害羞草研究所渕ake sure that they convince Israel to follow what has been said害羞草研究所� in the ruling, said Toronto MP Salma Zahid.

害羞草研究所淭hey have to have some dialogue with them.害羞草研究所�

Her colleague Anthony Housefather said he didn害羞草研究所檛 want to 害羞草研究所渙verblow害羞草研究所� Friday害羞草研究所檚 decision since it was primarily about whether or not the court would continue to hear the case.

害羞草研究所淢y position has been that Israel is not committing genocide, that it害羞草研究所檚 baseless and it害羞草研究所檚 insulting, and I don害羞草研究所檛 think the case was helpful to bring,害羞草研究所� Housefather said.

Israel害羞草研究所檚 ambassador to Canada, Iddo Moed, said he did not hear from Canadian officials in the initial hours after the ruling.

He said it is important to be clear that the court has not made any judgment about whether a genocide has taken place.

害羞草研究所淟et it also be clear that Israel respects international law and is a law-abiding country, and this is what we害羞草研究所檝e been making sure that we do all along the way,害羞草研究所� Moed said after Friday害羞草研究所檚 Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa.

The ruling did not speak to Israel害羞草研究所檚 right to self-defence but did say the court was 害羞草研究所済ravely concerned害羞草研究所� about hostages who remain in the grip of Hamas.

The death toll from the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip has surpassed 26,000, including militants. The Hamas-run Health Ministry also said Friday that more than 64,400 had been wounded since Oct. 7.

That was the day militants from the territory launched a surprise attack in southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages.

The court concluded that Israel has not taken enough care to prevent its bombardment and restrictions on aid and other essentials from costing lives in Gaza.

It cited statements from senior officials that suggest a policy of collective punishment, including comments from Israel害羞草研究所檚 president on Oct. 12 that named an 害羞草研究所渆ntire nation害羞草研究所� as responsible for the Hamas attacks.

Even before Joly害羞草研究所檚 statement, Canadian officials had offered little of substance about the case.

Mona Abuamara, the Palestinian ambassador to Canada, urged Trudeau to break the silence.

害羞草研究所淲e call on Canada to end its regarding of Palestinians as an exception to the protection of the international order, and Israel as the exception to adhering to international law,害羞草研究所� she told an online news conference.

South Africa害羞草研究所檚 high commissioner in Ottawa, Rieaz Shaik, said that prior to Friday害羞草研究所檚 ruling, he discussed the case with Canadian officials who seemed to take his country害羞草研究所檚 arguments seriously.

He said the logical next step is for Canada to formally recognize a Palestinian state, in order to build on its commitment to a two-state solution.

Jewish and Muslim groups have been impatiently pushing for Canada to speak to its stance.

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs said in a statement that Trudeau and Joly 害羞草研究所渕ust speak out害羞草研究所� against what it called a 害羞草研究所渃lear ploy to politicize the ICJ as a platform to target Israel.害羞草研究所�

B害羞草研究所檔ai Brith Canada, a Jewish advocacy group, said it feared Friday害羞草研究所檚 judgment would 害羞草研究所渋ntensify害羞草研究所� anti-Israel sentiment and demonstrations in Canada.

害羞草研究所淓very democracy should stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel, no condition, no modification, no conditioning of their response,害羞草研究所� the group害羞草研究所檚 Quebec regional director Henry Topas said in an interview Friday.

害羞草研究所淚t has to be clear and unequivocal that Israel is fighting a barbaric entity, Hamas, and they must be permitted and encouraged and supported in finishing the job.害羞草研究所�

The National Council of Canadian Muslims, for its part, called on the Liberals to voice support for the ruling and call for a ceasefire to prevent more deaths.

害羞草研究所淭he fact that this case is proceeding forward 害羞草研究所� that the evidence has been met to move forward on a genocide case 害羞草研究所� should prompt deep introspection for our political parties here in Canada,害羞草研究所� the group said in a statement.

A spokesman for Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre declined to comment on the court害羞草研究所檚 ruling, pointing to earlier comments Poilievre made on South Africa害羞草研究所檚 case. He previously criticized it as 害羞草研究所渟hameless害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所渄ishonest.害羞草研究所�

Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department announced Friday it has suspended aid to the UN agency tasked with supporting Palestinians, due to allegations that some staff at the body known as UNRWA participated in the brutal Hamas attack on Israel last October.

Canada announced plans Friday to follow suit by temporarily pausing new funding to UNRWA while the organization investigates the claims.

International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen said Canada will not reduce aid to Gaza, and will work with other partners to provide life-saving assistance to civilians in the territory.

害羞草研究所� With files from Mia Rabson and Stephanie Taylor in Ottawa and The Associated Press.

Dylan Robertson and Laura Osman, The Canadian Press

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