International Court of Justice set to rule on call for Israel to stop war in Gaza
The United Nations' highest court will issue a decision on Friday on South Africa's request for interim orders in a genocide case against Israel.
The decision is a preliminary stage of a case filed by South Africa at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) alleging that Israel's military action in its war with Hamas in Gaza amounts to genocide.
Israel strongly rejects the accusation and has asked the court to throw out the case.
Israel voiced confidence on Thursday that the ICJ would reject the allegations, which an Israeli government spokesperson described as without basis.
"We expect the ICJ to throw out these spurious and specious charges," Eylon Levy said in a briefing.
The 17-judge panel is expected to hand down its ruling in court at midday UK time.
The ruling, if granted, would probably take the form of an order to Israel to announce a ceasefire in Gaza and allow more UN humanitarian aid into the country.
Israel often boycotts international tribunals and UN investigations, saying they are unfair and biased.
But the country's leaders sent a high-level legal team to two days of hearings this month in a sign of how seriously they regard the case.
If the court grants some or all of South Africa's eight requests for so-called provisional measures, it is unclear if Israel will comply.
The 1948 Genocide Convention, which South Africa has accused Israel of violating, defines genocide as killings carried out with an "intent to destroy" a particular ethnic or national group.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that the war will continue until Hamas is destroyed.
He has offered Hamas a deal in which its six main leaders, thought to be hiding deep in Gaza's tunnel network, would be allowed to leave for third countries in return for a ceasefire and the release of hostages, but that has been rejected.
