ICJ to begin deliberation as public hearing of South Africa's genocide case against Israel ends

By Nur Asena Erturk

ANKARA (AA) – The International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Friday said it will begin deliberations as it concluded the two-day public hearing of South Africa's case that accused Israel of committing a genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza.

"The public hearings on the request for the indication of provisional measures submitted by South Africa in the case concerning Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel) concluded today," the ICJ said in a statement.

"The Court will now begin its deliberation. The Court’s decision will be delivered at a public sitting, the date of which will be announced in due course," the top UN court added.

South Africa, which filed the case in December, accused Israeli authorities of perpetrating genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. It requested provisional measures from the court to protect the Palestinian people, including by calling upon Israel to immediately halt military attacks.

South Africa laid out a list of alleged genocidal acts by Israel on the first day of the hearing on Thursday, while Israel defended itself on Friday.

Israel has killed more than 23,700 Palestinians in Gaza since the Oct. 7 cross-border offensive by Hamas. The military campaign has also caused mass displacement, destruction and hunger.