Anadolu book documenting Israeli crimes in Gaza 'very useful': South African legal lead

By Selman Aksunger

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AA) – Anadolu's book containing photographs proving Israeli crimes in Gaza, which was presented to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), will be "very useful," South Africa's legal team's head said on Friday.

Following the end of the public hearings in the genocide case against Israel in The Hague, legal counsel John Dugard was given the book, The Evidence, which contains photos taken by Anadolu journalists in Palestine.

Dugard said the photos in the book were "horrific," adding: "It will be very useful during our case."

Cuneyt Yuksel, chairman of the Turkish parliament's Justice Committee and AK Party lawmaker from Istanbul, who led the Turkish delegation in The Hague to monitor the trial, presented the photobook to Dugard.

Yuksel stressed the importance of the publication, and shared that photographs on the 24th page were presented as evidence during the two-day hearing that concluded Friday.

The delegation also included Ismail Emrah Karayel, president of the EU-Türkiye Joint Parliamentary Committee, and Cahit Ozkan, a member of the Constitution Committee and deputy from the city of Denizli.

Anadolu's images included pictures of the moments of white phosphorus artillery shells exploding in mid-air during Israeli airstrikes in Gaza on Oct. 10 and 11, as well as images of the Turkish news agency's photojournalist, Mustafa Haruf, being beaten by Israeli forces in the occupied East Jerusalem.

- Killings, destruction in Gaza

Israel has been criticized by the international community for indiscriminate attacks in Gaza Strip and its military actions amounting to collective punishment.

It has launched air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, killing more than 23,700 Palestinians and injuring many more. About 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the initial Hamas attack. Among the dead there are at least 10,000 children and 7,000 women, according to Palestinian officials.

South Africa’s case, filed in December, argues that Israel violated the 1948 Genocide Convention. It filed an 84-page document with the court detailing acts it says amount to genocide in Gaza.

The court in The Hague heard South Africa’s arguments on Thursday, while Israel defended its actions on Friday, and the two-day hearing ended.

The Hague-based ICJ is the principal judicial organ of the UN, established in 1945. It is composed of 15 judges who are elected for a 9-year term by the UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council.

The Court has a role to settle, in accordance with international law, legal disputes submitted to it by States; and to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by duly authorized UN organs and agencies of the system.