Israel on Monday filed a report with the International Court of Justice about measures taken to comply with an interim ruling that called on it to prevent Gaza war actions that might amount to genocide, an Israeli official said.
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The court ordered Israel to refrain from any acts that could fall under the Genocide Convention and to ensure its troops commit no genocidal acts against Palestinians after South Africa accused Israel of state-led genocide. Israel and its Western allies described the allegation as baseless.
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Israeli delegation at the International Court of Justice where genocide accusations were made
(Photo: Piroschka van de Wouw / Reuters)
In its ruling, the court said Israel specifically had to prevent and punish any public incitements to commit genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and to preserve evidence related to any allegations of genocide there. It also said the country must take measures to improve the humanitarian situation for Palestinian civilians in the enclave.
Israel said in its response that it complied with three orders of the ICJ but that two additional orders demanding Israel prevent genocide had no operative meaning.
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A 17 judge panel at the ICJ hears accusation Israel commits genocide in Gaza
(Photo: Reuters )
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the Israeli response authored by the Justice Ministry and asked that it be limited. The message from Israel was that the orders issued were for actions that had been in effect regardless of the legal proceedings.