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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that Israel would not stop its war against Hamas after the International Court of Justice held hearings into South Africa's allegations that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
Netanyahu's televised remarks came after two days of hearings in The Hague in which South Africa asked the court to order Israel to halt its air and ground offensive in an interim step.
“No one will stop us, not The Hague, not the Axis of Evil and no one else,” Netanyahu said, referring to Iran and its allied militias.
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Israel has repeatedly rejected South Africa's accusation of genocide as slanderous and hypocritical. The US State Department has also rejected allegations that Israel is committing genocide as “unfounded”.
Israeli ambassador says UN should stand trial as accomplices to 'hatred and murder'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday that “no one will stop Israel in its war to destroy Hamas.” (Sebastian Scheiner/Pool/AFP via Getty Images, file)
Germany came to Israel's defense on Friday. German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said Israel was “defending itself” after Hamas’ “inhumane” attacks.
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Ambassador of the Republic of South Africa to the Netherlands Vusimuzi Madonsela (right) and Minister of Justice and Correctional Services of South Africa Ronald Lamola attend a hearing at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, on Friday. (AP Photo/Patrick Post)
Hamas terrorists launched the deadly attack on October 7, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in Israel. About 250 others have been taken hostage, and while some have been released or confirmed dead, more than half are believed to still be held captive in Gaza.
Netanyahu makes it clear that Israel's war aim is not to “permanently occupy Gaza” or to expel the Palestinians
In the 100 days since Hamas first sparked the war, more than 23,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.
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A person waves a Palestinian flag as they pass a pro-Israel demonstration in front of the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, on Friday. (AP Photo/Patrick Post)
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On Friday, Israel asked the World Court to dismiss the case as without merit. Israel's defense argued that it had the right to defend itself against a ruthless enemy, noting that South Africa barely mentioned Hamas and ignored Israel's attempts to mitigate harm to civilians.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.