Protests organized at Hague court as South Africa faces Israel in Gaza genocide case

Israel and South Africa will face each other before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague on Thursday. South Africa accuses Israel of committing “genocidal acts” in the Gaza Strip during its war with Hamas. Israel calls that an “outrageous” claim. Two demonstrations are organized in The Hague during the case, one speaking out for the Palestinian cause, the other for Israel.

South Africa believes that Israel is killing so many Palestinian civilians in its war against Hamas that this constitutes genocidal acts. The country wants international judges to order Israel to “immediately” suspend military operations in Gaza.

At least 23,210 people have been killed and over 59,100 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7, Al Jazeera reported on Thursday based on figures from the Gaza Ministry of Health. That amounts to about 1 in every 100 Palestinians dead. Over 10,000 of those killed are children, and about 7,000 are still missing under the rubble.

According to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA, some 1.9 million people (85 percent of the Gaza population) have been displaced, many multiple times, ABC News reported.

Israel reported 1,139 of its citizens killed in the Hamas attacks that sparked this violence on October 7.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is angered by the South African claim and says that it is Hamas that wants to carry out a genocide. A government spokesperson called it “sad” that “the country that pats itself on the back in the fight against racism is now committed to anti-Jewish racists.”

Rulings of the ICJ are binding, but the nicknamed World Court has few means to impose decisions. South Africa will make its case on Thursday in the Peace Palace in the Hague. Israel will respond on Friday.

The protests will start just before or during the hearing at the ICJ on Thursday. In support of the South African prosecutors and Palestinians, “a broad coalition of human rights organizations and solidarity groups” is organizing a demonstration at the Peace Palace. They’ll also stream the hearing live on a big screen. A spokesperson said that the organizers expect thousands of people to join the demonstration, including from abroad.

In solidarity with Israel and the hostages in Gaza, a solidarity March will be held at the Peace Palace and back to the Lange Voorhout. The families of hostages will participate in the march and speak afterward. The organizers expect hundreds of people to join.