Top UN court opens Israel genocide hearings on Gaza

STORY: The ICJ is hearing South Africa's arguments on Thursday (January 11) and Israel's response to the allegations on Friday (January 12). Court President Joan E. Donoghue and South Africa's ambassador to the Netherlands, Vusimuzi Madonsela read opening statements.

It is expected to rule on possible emergency measures later this month. The court will not rule at that time on the genocide allegations - those proceedings could take years.

Israel has said South Africa's case is baseless. It launched all-out war after a cross-border rampage on October 7 by militants of Gaza's ruling Palestinian Islamist group Hamas in which Israel says 1,200 people were killed and 240 taken hostage back to Gaza.

The ICJ's decisions are final and without appeal, but the court has no way to enforce them.