Israeli officials 'concerned' ICJ could charge Israel with genocide

Israeli officials are concerned the International Court of Justice (ICJ) could charge the state with genocide in Gaza, Haaretz reported on Monday. 

According to the Israeli daily, a senior legal expert dealing with the case has warned the military leadership that there is a "real danger" the court will issue an injunction calling on Israel to halt its military action in Gaza. 

The military and the state attorney's office are now preparing to deal with the complaint filed by South Africa on Friday. A hearing will take place Monday at the foreign ministry. 

South Africa launched a case for the ICJ to declare that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in its military campaign in Gaza.

The submission from Cape Town, which says that Israel is in breach of its obligations under the Genocide Convention, calls for a halt to Israel's military operations in the besieged enclave. It said such an order is "necessary in this case to protect against further, severe and irreparable harm to the rights of the Palestinian people".

"Israel has engaged in, is engaging in and risks further engaging in genocidal acts against the Palestinian people in Gaza," South Africa's application said.

It said it had requested that the ICJ declare "on an urgent basis that Israel is in breach of its obligations in terms of the Genocide Convention, should immediately cease all acts and measures in breach of those obligations and take a number of related actions".