The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is expected to rule on South Africa’s Israel genocide case on Friday.
South Africa has dragged Israel to the World Court accusing it of committing genocide in Gaza.
Almost 27 000 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip since Israel began the bombardment of Gaza, following the surprise attack by Hamas on October 7, last year, where 1 200 people were killed.
Israel has accused South Africa of relying on inaccurate information and it has vowed to dismantle Hamas.
The ICJ will deliver its ruling on South Africa’s request for provisional measures accusing Israel of violating the 1948 Genocide Convention in Gaza.
Pretoria also requested the Court to indicate measures in order to protect against further, severe, and irreparable harm to the rights of the Palestinian people under the Genocide Convention and to ensure Israel’s compliance with its obligations under the Genocide Convention not to engage in genocide, and to prevent and to punish genocide.
Israel has defended itself saying they want to weaken Hamas.
South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Naledi Pandor, leads the country’s delegation in The Hague, Netherlands.
The matter will be heard at 14:00 South African time.
POSSIBLE OUTCOMES
Israeli strikes
Meanwhile, on the ground in the seaside enclave, Gaza officials said on Thursday that Israeli strikes killed 20 Palestinians queuing for food aid in Gaza City, six people in a house in central Gaza’s Al-Nusseirat refugee camp and at least 50 people in the prior 24 hours in Gaza’s main southern city Khan Younis, where Israel is currently focusing the brunt of its might.
Reuters could not independently verify the details while Israel said it was either looking into the reports or did not immediately comment on the incidents.
The judges of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), also called the World Court, are due to rule on Friday on South Africa’s request for emergency measures against Israel in a case accusing it of state-led genocide in the Gaza Strip.
Israel has called South Africa’s allegations false and “grossly distorted,” and said it makes the utmost efforts to avoid civilian casualties in Gaza.
The court’s rulings are final and without appeal, but it has no way of enforcing them. Israel on Thursday expressed confidence that the ICJ would “throw out these spurious and specious charges.” Hamas said it would abide by an ICJ ceasefire order if Israel reciprocates.
DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS SEEK NEW TRUCE DEAL
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to negotiate a break in the conflict continued. U.S. and Israeli intelligence chiefs were due to meet Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Europe this weekend, one official told Reuters. A second source said Egypt’s intelligence chief would also participate.
The White House has been trying to facilitate the release of the more than 100 remaining Israeli hostages taken during Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, which ignited the war in Gaza, although there remains a considerable distance between the two sides’ demands.
A third source with knowledge of the talks said that Israel has proposed a 60-day pause in the fighting during which hostages would be released in phases, beginning with civilian women and children. -Additional reporting by Reuters
