Israel was hit by an unprecedented rocket attack from the Gaza Strip on October 7, with Hamas movement's troops infiltrating border areas. On October 8, the Israeli government announced that it had invoked Article 40 of the Basic Law, which means the country was officially in a state of war.

Venezuela Backs UN Court's Probe Into South Africa's Genocide Case Against Israel

10:13, 10 January 2024

MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) - In late December, South Africa petitioned the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for provisional measures against Israel under the Genocide Convention for its actions in Gaza, where local authorities say Israeli attacks have killed nearly 23,000 Palestinians.

Sputnik

Venezuela backed on Tuesday a genocide case that South Africa filed with the International Court of Justice last month in response to the Israeli actions in the Gaza Strip.

"Venezuela approves of the historic action taken by the Republic of South Africa against the State of Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on December 29, 2023, with respect to the violations by that country of its obligations under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide," the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

South Africa brought the claim of Israel's genocidal intent before The Hague court in response to a rising civilian death toll in the Palestinian enclave. It seeks to prove that Israel's military strategy is genocidal in nature and targets Gazans as a part of the broader Palestinian national, racial and ethnic group.

The court will hold the first public hearings at the Peace Palace in The Hague from January 11-12. It is expected to ultimately issue provisional measures to protect Palestinians in Gaza and to ensure Israel's compliance with the 1948 Genocide Convention, which aims to prevent and punish genocide.