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Source: https://www.gov.il/en/pages/israeli-delegation-to-the-icj-concludes-its-arguments-17-may-2024
Israel Responds to Charges at the International Court of Justice
(Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs) The Israeli delegation to the International Court of Justice in The Hague concluded its arguments before the panel of judges on Friday. South Africa had applied to the Court requesting provisional orders to deny Israel its legitimate right to protect its citizens. Israel highlighted South Africa's distorted claims, which ignore the Hamas terrorist organization that continues to attack Israel and to hold 132 hostages, and present a false picture regarding the situation on the ground. Israel emphasized its commitment to the transfer of humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza and its efforts to enable the entry of humanitarian aid by land, air and sea, including the opening by the U.S. of a temporary floating pier. Israeli Deputy Attorney General Dr. Gilad Noam said: "South Africa is not interested in truth, law or justice. Just this week it hosted a delegation of senior Hamas members. There was no mention there of the return of the hostages or the cessation of Hamas' cynical exploitation of hospitals and UN facilities." Acting Legal Advisor of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Adv. Tamar Kaplan-Turgeman, said: "Accepting South Africa's arguments would give Hamas a green light to regain its grip on Gaza and to repeat the Oct. 7 atrocities again and again, as Hamas itself has vowed to do. It would constitute a death sentence for the hostages."