The sessions were viewed by the Movement as a critical step in “criminalizing the occupying force that continued to attack our people despite earlier court rulings being disregarded.”

Hamas greatly valued “South Africa’s stance in investigating the specifics of the Zionist genocide against our people and its demand for the application of international justice to guarantee that Israel discontinues its actions against our people.”

The United Nation’s top court on Thursday opened two days of hearings into a request from South Africa to ask the court to issue additional temporary orders against Israel to require it to halt its military operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where more than half of Gaza’s population has sought shelter.

The demand by South Africa is part of a case it lodged against Israel, accusing it of violating the Genocide Convention in Gaza. Israel denies the accusation.

Israel’s months-long war on Gaza has killed more than 35,000 people and wounded nearly 80,000, according to figures by Palestinian health officials. (ILKHA)