Israel to face Gaza genocide charges at World Court

The hearings will deal exclusively with South Africa's request for an emergency order that Israel suspend military action in Gaza while the court, also known as the World Court, hears the merits of the case - a process that could take years

An Israeli soldier gestures for a battle tank to approach while deployed at a position along the border with the Gaza Strip and southern Israel on January 2, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the militant group Hamas. Picture: JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images

Israel prepared to defend itself on Thursday at the top U.N. court against accusations of genocide in Gaza, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the first time publicly rebuffed calls by some right-wing ministers to permanently occupy the enclave.

As Israel's war against Hamas militants rages in Gaza, the International Court of Justice in the Hague was set to hold two days of hearings in a case brought by South Africa in December claiming the war violates the 1948 Genocide Convention.