What you need to know about South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the ICJ
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Hague will hold hearings on Thursday and Friday in response to South Africa's accusation of genocide against Israel.
More than 23,000 Palestinians have been killed in the ongoing war on Gaza, including more than 9,000 children.
South Africa wants an emergency order calling on Israel to suspend its military campaign, which it launched after an attack by Hamas-led Palestinian fighters on 7 October, which killed 1,140 people, according to Israeli officials.
The state filed the lawsuit at the end of December, citing statements made by Israeli public officials and the actions of its military.
It is the first time Israel is being tried under the United Nations’ Genocide Convention, which was drawn up after the Second World War in light of the atrocities committed against Jews and other persecuted minorities during the Holocaust.
Here Middle East Eye answers some commonly asked questions about the case.