Canberra, May 25 (IANS): A senior Australian government minister has urged Israel to abide by an order from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to halt its military offensive in southern Gaza.

On Friday, the ICJ, the top court of the UN, ordered Israel to immediately halt its military assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah and open the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza to allow aid into the region, Xinhua news agency reported.

In response, Australia's minister for climate change and energy and member of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's cabinet, Chris Bowen, said the federal government supported the ruling.

He described the situation in Rafah as a humanitarian disaster that has the scope to get worse.

"We have been very consistent that Rafah should not be attacked," Bowen said at a press conference on Saturday.

"Australia believes international law should be complied with. Australia believes the binding rulings should be complied with, and we believe Rafah should not be invaded by Israel."

The ICJ order was adopted by a panel of 15 international judges in a 13-2 vote, with judges from Israel and Uganda opposed.