In The Hague, at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Israel has strongly refuted accusations of genocide. They argued that during their military operations in Gaza, they are doing their best to safeguard civilian lives.
This response comes amidst a request by South Africa for emergency measures to halt Israeli military actions in Gaza, particularly in the city of Rafah, which they claim endangers the survival of Palestinians.
Tamar Kaplan-Tourgeman, representing Israel’s legal team, defended their actions at the ICJ. She highlighted that Israel has permitted the entry of essential supplies like fuel and medication into Gaza, despite the ongoing conflict.
Kaplan-Tourgeman emphasized that Israel takes extensive steps to minimize harm to civilians in Gaza. However, a protester briefly interrupted her final remarks, expressing dissent with shouts of “Liars.”
South Africa, in their plea to the ICJ, described the situation in Gaza as reaching a dire stage and urged the judges to mandate a cessation of Israeli military operations. This marks the third round of hearings on emergency measures initiated by South Africa since they filed the genocide case against Israel at the end of the previous year.
As per the South Africa’s latest request, Israel’s military activities in Rafah pose a severe threat to the survival of Palestinians in Gaza. The ICJ had previously instructed Israel to take all necessary actions to prevent death, destruction, and genocide in Gaza, but stopped short of ordering an immediate end to the military offensive. The judges are now deliberating on South Africa’s request, with a decision expected in the coming weeks.
The ICJ possesses significant authority to enforce measures such as ceasefires; however, it lacks its own enforcement mechanism. This situation is reminiscent of a previous order by the court demanding Russia to cease its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which has yet to be complied with.
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