On the second day of the ICJ hearing, Israeli government attorneys have made the following arguments:
The veracity of South Africa’s accusations against Israel is weakened by its close ties to Hamas and the “distorted factual and legal picture” that it presents.
It was Hamas that initiated the war by attacking southern Israel. This allows Israel to uphold international humanitarian law while defending itself.
Hamas exacerbates the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza by integrating its military activities into residential areas. Israel works to minimize damage to civilians in the meantime.
The demands that Israel cease its activities in Gaza are intolerable. “Israel’s robust and independent legal system” can handle the situation if Israeli forces have violated any additional laws of conflict.
