THE International Court of Justice (ICJ) has announced that it will deliver its highly anticipated verdict on South Africa’s genocide case against Israel on Friday.
South Africa’s foreign minister, Naledi Pandor, is flying to The Hague to be present for the ruling.
The ruling, should it be granted, would likely take the form of an order to Israel to announce a ceasefire in Gaza and to allow more UN humanitarian aid into the country.
A judgement on South Africa's claim Israel is committing genocide under the 1948 Geneva Convention is years away, but the ICJ, the UN's highest court, can issue the equivalent of an interim junction.
Israel has dismissed South Africa’s claim although did attend the court to mount a defence, making it more difficult for it to simply dismiss any verdict which is not in its favour.
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Representatives of both sides laid out their legal arguments in The Hague on January 11 and 12 in hearings that were watched worldwide.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (below) also issued a statement which aimed to reassure the court that Israel was acting in self-defence following the October 7 Hamas attacks.
An immediate ceasefire, of cessation of hostilities, is the prime provisional measure requested by South Africa.
The decision will come after ITV obtained footage of a Palestinian man being shot in the street despite walking under a white flag.
Rishi Sunak failed to condemn the action as a “war crime” when pressed on the clip by SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn at PMQs on Wednesday.
Labour leader Keir Starmer also failed to commit to calling it a “war crime” during an interview with Robert Peston although did stress Israel must act in accordance with “international law”.
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The Palestinian death toll in Gaza after three months of war has now surpassed 25,000 according to the Gaza Health Ministry with more than 62,000 people wounded.
However, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to keep up the offensive until Hamas is dismantled and all hostages are returned.
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