The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is set to conduct hearings on Thursday and Friday. The hearings relate to Israel’s military actions in Rafah during the ongoing conflict in Gaza and follow from a case that South Africa initiated last year, accusing Israel of genocide.
Israel, defending its actions, has stated that its military operations comply with international law and has dismissed the allegations of genocide as unfounded.
It has also criticized South Africa, claiming it is representing the interests of Hamas, the governing authority in Gaza, in a legal capacity.
During the upcoming sessions, South Africa is expected to urge the ICJ to demand that Israel halt its offensive in Rafah. It seeks to ensure that humanitarian aid, along with U.N. officials, journalists, and investigators, have unobstructed access to Gaza.
Israel will present its defense on the following day, according to the court’s schedule.
These hearings at The Hague will focus solely on the implementation of provisional measures aimed at preventing further escalation of the situation.
A definitive judgment on the core issues of the case might take years, as is typical with ICJ proceedings.
Although the ICJ’s decisions are final and cannot be appealed, the court lacks direct means to enforce its rulings.
The conflict has resulted in significant casualties, with nearly 35,000 people reported dead in Gaza, according to local health authorities, and approximately 1,200 fatalities in Israel.
Additionally, Israeli sources state that on October 7, the date marking the start of the conflict, Hamas took 253 people hostage.
With Inputs From Reuters
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