Israel has rejected allegations of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip and has argued before the International Court of Justice that its military actions in Rafah were acts of self-defense. The head of Israel’s delegation, Gilad Noam, denounced the case brought by South Africa as a distortion of reality and accused them of abusing international law in a cynical manner. During the hearing, a woman interrupted one of Israel’s legal representatives, shouting “Liar” before being escorted out by security personnel.
South Africa’s lawsuit seeks an urgent appeal for the ICJ to order Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, citing ongoing genocide against the Palestinian population and calling for unhindered access for investigators, media, and humanitarian aid. The urgency of the application stems from the Israeli military offensive in Rafah, which began on May 6, endangering the lives of 1.5 million Palestinians concentrated in the city.
Israel’s delegation countered by characterizing Rafah as a Hamas military stronghold launching rockets at Israel and claimed that Hamas is holding numerous hostages. They also asserted that Israel is providing humanitarian aid and taking measures to protect civilians. The Gaza conflict was sparked by a massacre of approximately 1,200 people in southern Israel by Hamas fighters and allied groups on October 7.