Palestine hopes that the decision, which is expected to be announced within a week will be in its favor, the ambassador said, adding that it will then be sent to the UN Security Council for execution and that the US is likely to veto the execution of the court's decision.
South Africa filed a lawsuit with the ICJ in December, accusing Israel of genocidal intent in Gaza amid a rising civilian death toll in the besieged Palestinian enclave. It seeks to prove that Israel's military campaign is genocidal in nature and targets Gazans as a part of the broader Palestinian people.
On January 11-12, the top United Nations court in The Hague held public hearings on South Africa's suit. In its address, South Africa's representatives urged the ICJ to obligate Israel to end its military operation in the Gaza Strip, ensure that the enclave's residents have access to food, water and humanitarian aid, and abstain from actions that could worsen the situation. Israel, for its part, argued that the escalation of conflict in the Gaza Strip started with Hamas' October 7 attack and insisted on its right to self-defense.