Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday called for an end to Israel's war against Hamas after the International Court of Justice held a hearing on South Africa's claims that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. He said he could not.
Prime Minister Netanyahu's televised remarks came after two days of public hearings in The Hague. Meanwhile, South Africa asked the court to order Israel to cease air and ground attacks as an interim measure.
“No one can stop us, not the Hague, not the Axis of Evil, not anyone else,” Netanyahu said, referring to Iran and its allied militias.
Israel has repeatedly rejected South Africa's accusations of genocide as defamatory and hypocritical. The US State Department also dismissed allegations that Israel committed genocide as “baseless.”
Israeli ambassador says UN should be brought to justice as accomplice in 'hatred and murder'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Saturday that “no one will stop Israel” in its war against Hamas. (Sebastian Scheiner/Pool/AFP via Getty Images, File)
On Friday, Germany defended Israel, with German government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit saying Israel was “defending itself” after an “inhuman” attack by Hamas.
Vusimuzi Madonsela (right), Ambassador of the Republic of South Africa to the Netherlands, and Ronald Lamola, South Africa's Minister of Justice and Corrections, attended a hearing at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, on Friday. (AP Photo/Patrick Post)
Hamas terrorists launched a deadly attack on October 7, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, inside Israel. An additional 250 people were taken hostage, and although some have been released or confirmed dead, more than half are believed to still be held captive in Gaza.
Prime Minister Netanyahu clarifies that Israel's war goal is not “permanent occupation of Gaza'' or forced displacement of Palestinians
In the 100 days since Hamas first started the war, the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health has announced that more than 23,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza.
A person waves a Palestinian flag as he passes a pro-Israel demonstration outside the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, on Friday. (AP Photo/Patrick Post)
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On Friday, Israel asked the World Court to dismiss the case as without merit. Israel's defense lawyers argued that South Africa had a right to protect itself from a ruthless enemy, noting that it made little mention of Hamas and ignored Israel's attempts to mitigate harm to civilians.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
