Hearings on South Africa’s appeal regarding the Israeli army’s actions in the Gaza Strip will be held in The Hague on January 11-12, according to a document from the International Court of Justice. South African representatives will speak at the hearing on Thursday, Israel on Friday, it says TASS.
According to the South African Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported on December 29, 2023, the country applied to the International Court of Justice regarding Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip. In response, the Israeli Foreign Ministry urged the court to reject South Africa’s request to recognize the Jewish state as a country in violation of the Genocide Convention in connection with the military operation in the Palestinian territory.
In early November, the South African government announced its decision to withdraw its diplomats from Tel Aviv for consultations in light of the Israeli army’s ongoing military operation in the Gaza Strip. In response, Israel recalled its ambassador from Pretoria for consultations. Officials of the Jewish state described South Africa’s move as “a victory for Hamas” and demanded that the country’s right to self-defense be respected.
The situation in the Middle East has worsened since thousands of Hamas militants infiltrated Israel from the Gaza Strip on October 7. More than two hundred hostages were captured.
On this day, Hamas launched thousands of rockets into Israel and announced the start of Operation Al Aqsa Flood. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the country was at war.
Previously in Israel named Hezbollah’s possible entry into the war was a “fatal mistake”.