UN court hears Israel genocide allegation

The United Nations’s top court kicked off hearings Thursday for South Africa’s allegation that Israel is committing genocide of Palestinians in its war with militant group Hamas.

In a 84-page filing to the International Court of Justice, South Africa alleges that the “acts and omissions by Israel … are genocidal in character,” with the intent “to destroy the Palestinians in Gaza,” as part of the larger Palestinian national, racial and ethnic group.

They are asking the court, based in The Hague, Netherlands, to issue an interim order for Israel to immediately suspend military operations in Gaza. The case is likely to take years, though an interim order could come within weeks, The Associated Press reported.

The war in Gaza has raged on for more than three months, killing more than 23,000 people in the region, according to its Hamas-run Health Ministry. The conflict was sparked Oct. 7 after Hamas launched a surprise assault into southern Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw about 240 others taken hostage by the militant group.

South Africa is accusing Israel of violating the 1948 Genocide Convention, enacted after World War II and the Holocaust, the AP added.

Israel’s bombardment of Gaza has destroyed much of the coastal enclave and forced the majority of the territory’s population of 2.3 million out of their homes. Coupled with large restrictions on food, water, fuel and medical supplies, the United Nations describes the circumstances as a “spiraling humanitarian nightmare.”

The Biden administration denounced South Africa’s case, arguing it “distracts the world” from the need to secure the release of the remaining hostages taken by Hamas. About 100 of these hostages were released during a weeklong cease-fire between the two groups in November.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken and White House national security spokesperson John Kirby both called the charge “meritless” earlier this month.

“We find this submission meritless, counterproductive and completely without any basis in fact, whatsoever,” Kirby said during a Jan. 3 White House press briefing.

Blinken met with top Israeli officials Tuesday during a week-long trip in the eastern Mediterranean and Middle East to discuss the next phases of the conflict.

The United States offered largely unwavering support to Israel in the weeks that followed the Oct. 7 attack but has recently increased calls for the country to minimize civilian deaths in Gaza.

U.S. officials have also called on Israel to allow greater amounts of food, water, fuel and medicine into Gaza. But humanitarian leaders have warned the aid supplies have not significantly increased.