THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) 鈥 Israel strongly denied charges of genocide on Friday, telling the United Nations鈥 top court it was doing everything it could to protect the civilian population during its military operation in Gaza.
The International Court of Justice wrapped up a third round of hearings on emergency measures requested by South Africa, which says Israel鈥檚 military incursion in the southern city of Rafah threatens the 鈥渧ery survival of Palestinians in Gaza鈥 and has asked the court to
Tamar Kaplan-Tourgeman, one of Israel鈥檚 legal team, defended the country鈥檚 conduct, saying it had allowed in fuel and medication to the beleaguered enclave.
鈥淚srael takes extraordinary measures in order to minimize the harm to civilians in Gaza,鈥 she told The Hague-based court.
A protester shouting 鈥淟iars" briefly interrupted Kaplan-Tourgeman鈥檚 final remarks. The hearing was paused for less than a minute while security guards escorted a woman from the public gallery.
that the situation in the beleaguered enclave has reached 鈥渁 new and horrific stage鈥 and urged judges to order a half to Israeli military operations. The court was holding a third round of hearings on emergency measures requested by South Africa since it first filed its genocide case at the end of last year.
, South Africa says Israel鈥檚 military incursion in Rafah threatens the 鈥渧ery survival of Palestinians in Gaza.鈥 In January, judges ordered Israel to do all it can to prevent death, destruction and any in Gaza, but the panel stopped short of ordering an end to the military offensive. Judges will now deliberate on the request and are expected to issue a decision in the next weeks.
ICJ judges have broad powers to order a cease-fire and other measures, though the court doesn鈥檛 have its own enforcement apparatus. A by the court demanding that Russia halt its has so far gone unheeded.
Most of Gaza鈥檚 population of 2.3 million people have been displaced since fighting began.
The war began with a Hamas attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7 in which Palestinian militants killed around 1,200 people and took about 250 hostages. More than 35,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war, Gaza鈥檚 Health Ministry says, without distinguishing between civilians and combatants in its count.
in December 2023 and sees the legal campaign as rooted in issues . Its governing party, the African 香港六合彩挂牌资料 Congress, has long compared Israel鈥檚 policies in Gaza and the occupied West Bank to its own history under the apartheid regime of white minority rule, which restricted most Blacks to 鈥渉omelands.鈥 Apartheid ended in 1994.
