The proposal was put forward by South Africa, which is calling for measures to suspend military operations against Palestinians
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) said it will announce its decision on Friday (January 26, 2024) on South Africa's complaint against the State of Israel for violating the United Nations Convention on the alleged “genocide” in the Gaza Strip. In the action, the African country calls for immediate measures to suspend Israel's military actions against the Palestinians. 
Judge Joan Donoghue, president of the court, will read the decision at a public session of the court at the Peace Palace in The Hague in the Netherlands.
On December 29, 2023, South Africa filed a lawsuit against Israel for failing to comply with its obligations under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
Created in 1948 in response to the Holocaust in World War II, the convention characterizes genocide as acts “committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group.”
In its petition, South Africa also asks the court to specify interim measures to “protect the rights guaranteed to the Palestinian people by the Genocide Convention from more serious and irreparable harm” and “ensure that Israel complies with its obligations.” not to oblige to prevent genocide, to prevent it and to punish it.
An initial hearing on the case was held on January 11, at which representatives of the South African government claimed that the State of Israel was promoting a systematic genocide against the Palestinian people, adding that these acts constituted colonization of Palestine.
South African Ambassador to The Hague, Vizdomuzi Madonsela, said Israel's current actions were a continuation of acts committed against the Palestinian people since 1948. “The request places Israel’s genocidal actions and inactions in the broader context of 75 years of Israel, years of apartheid, 56 years of occupation and 16 years of siege of the Gaza Strip,” he said.
The next day, January 12, it was the court's turn to hear Israel's lawyers. They denied South Africa's accusation of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip. Israeli lawyers say the complaint is a distortion of what is happening in the Gaza Strip and they called on the court to reject South Africa's request to order a suspension of military action in the region.
Israeli Foreign Ministry legal adviser Tal Becker said: “The attempt to weaponize the term genocide against Israel in the current context is more than telling the court a grossly distorted story and more than just giving the word its unique strength to withdraw.” and special meaning. Undermines the aim and purpose of the Convention itself [para a prevenção e a repressão do crime de genocídio]“.
Support from Brazil
South Africa's complaint received support from Brazil. Mexico and Chile also expressed “growing concern” about the “escalation of violence” in the war between Israel and Hamas in a document on possible crimes submitted to the ICC (International Criminal Court). South Africa's action also received support from Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela, Malaysia, Arab League countries and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Germany rejected Africa's accusations and expressed its support for Israel.
conflict
The conflict in the Middle East began on October 7 last year and lasted more than 100 days. The number of Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip since the war between Israel and Hamas began in October has exceeded 25,000 people.
Israel began its military operation in the Gaza Strip after Hamas attacks that killed 1,200 people, most of them civilians. On Tuesday (January 23), 24 Israeli soldiers were killed in Israel's worst day of casualties in the Gaza Strip, the armed forces said. Clashes between Israeli forces and Hamas militants broke out in several locations, from Jabalia in the north to Khan Younis in the south, the focus of recent Israeli operations.
With information from Agência Brasil