The Hague: Second day of hearings in South Africa's genocide case against Israel

(Patria) - The second day of hearings in South Africa's genocide case against Israel has begun before the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

The public hearing is being broadcast live.

The hearing began on Thursday with the reading of the case of the Republic of South Africa against Israel and a request for Israel to immediately halt its military operations in Gaza.

On the first day of yesterday's session, requests for provisional measures to stop the attacks were presented, while at today's session, the Israeli delegation is presenting its defense.

At yesterday's hearing, lawyers representing the South African side accused Israel that its deliberate actions against Palestinians in Gaza proved its genocidal intent.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated in a statement yesterday that "Israel is fighting against genocide" despite the lawsuit filed against his country at the International Court of Justice.

Netanyahu reacted to the "genocide" case that the Republic of South Africa filed against Israel at the International Court of Justice.

Defending himself by saying that the accusations against his country at the UN's highest judicial institution are "lies," Netanyahu said: "Today we saw an upside-down world in which the State of Israel is accused of genocide at a time when it is fighting against genocide."

Legal advisor to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tal Becker, is currently delivering opening remarks for Israel.

Among other things, he stated that Israeli actions in Gaza are an act of self-defense following the Hamas attack on October 7.

In Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7, more than 23,000 Palestinians have been killed, and more than 50,000 wounded.