Israel is set to present its defense before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague against South Africa’s allegations of genocide stemming from the conflict with Hamas in Gaza, as stated by an Israeli government spokesperson on Tuesday.
Scheduled for January 11 and 12, lawyers representing South Africa are gearing up for the upcoming ICJ hearing, as reported by Clayson Monyela, a spokesperson for South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation, on the platform X.
South Africa recently sought an urgent order from the ICJ, asserting that Israel had violated its obligations under the 1948 Genocide Convention in its actions against Hamas.
Eylon Levy, a spokesman, emphasized during an online briefing that “The State of Israel will appear before the International Court of Justice at The Hague to dispel South Africa’s absurd blood libel.”
The conflict was ignited by a cross-border attack by Hamas Islamist militants on Oct. 7, resulting in 1,200 reported deaths, according to Israel.
In response, Israel launched an air and land assault, claiming more than 22,000 lives, as per Palestinian health officials. While casualty figures are disputed, with Israel asserting it targeted fighters, South Africa contends that Israel’s military campaign in Gaza amounts to genocide.
South Africa’s case at the ICJ alleges that Israel’s actions violate the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, a legal battle that is expected to extend over several years.
The 1948 Convention defines genocide as acts such as killings carried out with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group.
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