Israel denies responsibility for hunger, massacres in Gaza in filing to world court

By Selman Aksunger

THE HAGUE (AA) - Israel vehemently denied allegations of genocide and responsibility for hunger and massacres in Gaza in a legal filing to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) made public Monday.

Its response came after South Africa asked the ICJ to issue emergency orders for Israel to step up humanitarian aid to Gaza to address a looming famine.

Rejecting South Africa's claims that Israel was responsible for the famine and massacres in Gaza, Israel labeled them as "completely unfounded in fact and in law" and accused South Africa of distorting facts and abusing the authority of the Genocide Convention and the ICJ.

Israel also refuted claims that it deliberately created a hostile environment for aid agencies and used humanitarian aid as a bargaining chip, asserting that it actively collaborated with the UN and other countries to address the food problem in Gaza.

It demanded the rejection of South Africa's request for additional measures, arguing that the court's decision on Jan. 26 already encompassed the issues raised by South Africa. It also accused South Africa of seeking political attention.

In response, South Africa urged the ICJ to change or order new measures against Israel, citing persistent violations and the dire situation in Gaza. South Africa emphasized the urgency of the matter, drawing parallels with past genocides and urging immediate action to prevent further suffering in Gaza.

The application cited the ICJ's authority to rule on injunctions at every stage of the case and highlighted significant developments in Gaza since Jan. 26, warranting new measures.

Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on Gaza since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023 which killed nearly 1,200 people.

More than 31,700 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in the enclave and nearly 73,800 others injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of most food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.