Israel to legally fight genocide charges in UN court

Israeli government spokesman Eylon Levy on Tuesday accused South Africa of offering “political and legal cover” to the Hamas terrorist organization. South Africa on Friday brought charges against Israel at the United Nations’ International Court of Justice. The legal case alleges that Israel’s military operations in Gaza since Oct. 7 have resulted in enough death and destruction to meet the legal threshold for genocide under international law. Levy said Israel would appear before the court to disprove what he called a “blood libel” by South Africa.

What is happening in Gaza? The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry on Tuesday said that more than 22,000 Palestinians have died in the conflict. The Health Ministry does not distinguish between militant and civilian deaths. Israel on Monday announced that it would withdraw thousands of troops from the Gaza Strip but said the war would continue in more focused areas. Hamas on Tuesday reported that an Israeli airstrike killed one of its key leaders in Beirut, Lebanon.

Dig deeper: Read Jill Nelson’s report in WORLD Magazine about whether Hamas can capture the sympathies of Arab countries.