UN top court opens hearings in Gaza 'genocide case' against Israel

A top UN court opened hearings on Thursday in a case in which South Africa demands an emergency suspension of Israel's military campaign in Gaza, where it says Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will hear South Africa's arguments on Thursday and Israel's response to the allegations on Friday.

It is expected to rule on the emergency measures later this month. The court will not rule at that time on the genocide allegations - those proceedings could take years.

"Our opposition to the ongoing slaughter of the people of Gaza has driven us as a country to approach the ICJ," South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has said of the genocide accusations, rejected by Israel and its top backer, the United States.

With the politically-charged case attracting global attention, supporters of both sides of the case planned marches and rallies in The Hague.

Thousands of pro-Israel protesters marched in freezing temperatures in the city centre early on Thursday, carrying Israeli and Dutch flags and posters with images of people taken hostage by Hamas.

Gabi Patlis, from Tel Aviv, who now lives in the Netherlands, said it was painful to hear Israel accused of genocide.

"Especially after 7 October - we were the ones that were attacked," he told Reuters at the rally.

The court's decisions are final and without appeal but the court has no way to enforce them.

Reuters