ICJ Hears South Africa's Genocide Case Against Israel Over Gaza Actions

United Nations's International Court of Justice (ICJ) is hearing a case against Israel filed by South Africa. South Africa accused Israel on Thursday of subjecting Palestinians to genocidal acts. It has demanded an emergency suspension of Israel's military campaign in the Palestinian enclave Gaza.

South Africa contended that Israel has transgressed Article Two of the (Genocide) convention, committing acts that fall within the definition of genocide. The actions show a systematic pattern of conduct from which genocide can be inferred, Adila Hassim, advocate of South Africa's high court, told the ICJ. South Africa pointed to Israel's sustained bombing campaign which has killed over 23,000 people in the small, densely populated Gaza Strip, according to Gaza health authorities.

Israel has denied the genocide accusations as baseless. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on social media that Israel



has no intention of permanently occupying Gaza or displacing its civilian population.

The ICJ is hearing South Africa's arguments on Thursday and Israel's response to the allegations will be heard on Friday.

Israel launched their offensive after a cross-border attack on the 7th of October last year by militants of Gaza's ruling group Hamas in which Israel says 1,200 people were killed and 240 taken hostage back to Gaza.

The 1948 Genocide Convention defines genocide as "acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group". South Africa and Israel are both parties to the convention, which obliges them to not commit genocide and also to prevent and punish it.

The ICJ's decisions are final and without appeal, but the court has no way to enforce them.