As Israel continues its offensive in Gaza, killing over 23,000 Palestinians since the October 7 surprise attacks by Hamas, the International Court of Justice in The Hague will hold hearings on Thursday and Friday in a case brought by South Africa in December claiming Israel’s war against Hamas militants in Gaza violates the 1948 Genocide Convention.
The hearing will focus exclusively with request by South Africa for emergency measures seeking direction for Israel to suspend its military actions in Gaza while the court hears the merits of the case, a process which could take years.
Ahead of the hearing, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for the first time, rebuffed calls by some right-wing ministers to permanently occupy Gaza as Israel prepared to defend itself at the International Court of Justice against accusations of genocide in the Palestinian enclave.
“I want to make a few points absolutely clear: Israel has no intention of permanently occupying Gaza or displacing its civilian population,” Netanyahu said on social media platform X on the eve of the hearing.
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“Israel is fighting Hamas terrorists, not the Palestinian population, and we are doing so in full compliance with international law,” Netanyahu added.
Meanwhile, dubbing the case filed by South Africa as “blood libel” Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy said that Tel Aviv will appear before the court on Thursday. “Tomorrow, the State of Israel will appear before the International Court of Justice to dispel South Africa’s absurd blood libel, as Pretoria gives political and legal cover to the Hamas Rapist Regime,” Levy said on Wednesday, reported Reuters.
Late Wednesday, Colombia and Brazil expressed their support to South Africa.
Jordan and Egypt also warned on Wednesday against reoccupation by Israel of the Gaza Strip and appealed that the uprooted citizens by allowed to return to their homes as Jordan’s King Abdullah and Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi met.