Israel tells world court its actions in Gaza are self-defence

In The Hague, during the second day of hearings at the International Court of Justice, Israel's foreign ministry legal adviser, Tal Becker, asserted that Israel's military actions in Gaza are acts of self-defense against Hamas and "other terrorist organizations."

Becker criticized South Africa's accusations of genocide in Gaza, labeling it as a "grossly distorted story" and claimed that if any acts of genocide occurred, they were perpetrated against Israel.

Becker argued that South Africa's demand for an immediate halt to the Israeli military campaign in Gaza would undermine Israel's inherent right to self-defense and leave the country defenseless. He stated, "The applicant seeks to thwart Israel’s inherent right to defend itself... and render Israel defenseless."