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On Friday, the International Court of Justice will rule on South Africa’s request for interim orders, which include a request that Israel halt its offensive in Gaza.
This is an early step of South Africa’s genocide case, which alleges that Israel’s military actions in its battle with Hamas constitute genocide. Israel firmly denies the claim and urges the court to dismiss it.
The court’s notification of the time of the interim ruling came after Israel launched a massive air and ground assault on Gaza in response to Hamas terrorists’ invasion into Israeli communities on October 7, killing over 1,200 people, the majority of whom were civilians.
Notably, Israel, which is frequently dismissive of international courts and United Nations probes, brought a high-level legal team to recent hearings, demonstrating its seriousness about the issue.
The possible impact on Israel’s international reputation raises concerns about compliance if the court granted South Africa’s request for interim measures.
The outcome of the verdict and its ramifications for the continuing conflict in Gaza are unknown.
