Live blog: UK may join US in strikes against Yemen's Houthis — local media

The International Court of Justice judges have to "remember that for each day they don't make the provisional measures, Israel is killing Palestinians in Gaza, and it's imperative to act quickly," said Tayab Ali, director at International Centre for Justice for Palestinians.

Speaking to Anadolu outside the ICJ in The Hague, Ali said the case is “a unique situation because we're not looking at something historic.”

He said: “We're looking at something that's happening right now. So, I think it's imperative that the court act really quickly. They do have it in their gift. If they decide to, they can make a decision tomorrow to give an indication of their provisional measures.”

Ali added that the provisional measure decision may take some time, “but what the court has to remember, what the judges have to remember, is that for each day they don't make the provisional measures, Israel is killing Palestinians in Gaza.”

“So it's imperative to act quickly,” he added.

1740 GMT — Spanish parliament's member calls Israeli actions in Gaza 'crime of genocide'

Gerardo Pisarello, a member of the Spanish parliament, said that systematically bombing hospitals and killing children is not just a war crime but a “crime of genocide.”

"We have to insist that bombing babies and children has nothing to do with self-defence. Systematically bombing hospitals and killing health workers has nothing to do with self-defence. This is not just war crimes, this is a crime of genocide," Pisarello said during an event in The Hague organised by Progressive International, a global entity that brings together activists and organisations aligned with progressive left-wing ideologies.

Pisarello called on the Spanish government to demand “an immediate and permanent ceasefire” in Gaza and to stop arms trade with Israel.

He also urged the Spanish government to support South Africa’s genocide case against Israel.

Former Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau also urged the world to end Israeli “genocide” in Gaza.

1714 GMT — 79 Finnish diplomats sign letter criticising country’s response to Israeli attacks on Gaza

Seventy-nine Finnish diplomats signed a letter that criticised the country’s response to Israeli attacks on Gaza, media reports said.

The diplomats said in the letter to Foreign Minister Elina Valtone that Finland should demand a ceasefire in Gaza and condemned Israel's disproportionate use of force and likely violations of international law in the region, according to the public broadcaster YLE, that noted that critical messages sent to ministers by civil servants are rare in Finland’s history.

Valtone said it was good to discuss Finland's policies as she commented on the letter to the STT news outlet.

“Our foreign and security policies in the Middle East are based on human rights, democracy, the rule of law and equality,” she said.

Noting that Finland is a strong supporter of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Valtone said: “There is no doubt that Finland is prepared to condemn and would like to condemn the perpetrators of — regardless of who the perpetrator is — all of these crimes.”

She stressed that Finland has consistently condemned Israel's actions in illegal Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.

1642 GMT — 15 Israelis killed by fire from Lebanon since October: Israeli media

At least 15 Israelis have been killed by cross-border fire from southern Lebanon since October, according to Israeli media.

Israeli Channel 12 said the fatalities included 11 soldiers and four civilians without providing any further details.

According to the broadcaster, the Lebanese group Hezbollah has carried out 670 attacks against Israeli rockets since Oct. 8, including firing rockets, drones and anti-tank shells.

“Around 61,000 Israelis have been evacuated from 42 communities near the border since the outbreak of the conflict,” it added.

The Israeli channel reported that 159 Hezbollah fighters had been killed by Israeli forces since Oct. 8.

1635 GMT — Police ban demonstrations in Jewish area of Toronto

Toronto police banned demonstrations in an area of the city that has seen several incidents involving pro-Palestinian protesters, according to reports.

The protests have taken place in a high-traffic area on the Avenue Road overpass bridge and have been the subject of complaints from residents, many of whom are Jewish and feel intimidated, said police.

“People can expect to be arrested, if necessary,” Police Chief Myron Demkiw said at a police board meeting. “Activities that take place on the Avenue Road overpass in the surrounding areas will be investigated with a criminal lens.”

The area is a favourite gathering place for pro-Palestinian protesters, and police have been forced to close the bridge at least three times, said the Toronto Star newspaper. Many residents and some city councillors have asked police to ban demonstrations in the area.

Demkiw said protesters are also at risk of injury due to heavy traffic.

But the police chief also emphasised that the effect of the protesters on residents is a major factor in the ban.

1632 GMT — US envoy calls for ‘diplomatic solution’ to Lebanon-Israel escalation

US envoy to Lebanon Amos Hochstein called for a diplomatic solution to growing tensions along the Lebanese-Israeli border.

Hochstein held talks with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati in Beirut on developments in southern Lebanon amid an exchange of cross-border fire between Hezbollah and Israeli forces.

“We need to find a diplomatic solution that will allow for the Lebanese people to return to their homes in south Lebanon...as the people of Israel need to be able to return to their homes in their north,” he told reporters.

“We’re living in a crisis moment where we would like to see a diplomatic solution, and I believe that both sides prefer a diplomatic solution,” he said. “It’s our job to get one.”

Mikati, for his part, called for reaching a cease-fire in the besieged Gaza and halting Israeli violations of Lebanon’s sovereignty.

“We want peace and stability through upholding international resolutions,” he added.

The US envoy also held talks with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri in Beirut to discuss the situation in Lebanon.

“The Israeli government said it prefers a diplomatic solution, and I believe that this is what both parties, in Israel and Lebanon, want,” he said.

1621 GMT — Israel's Netanyahu affirms commitment to 'total victory'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that "hypocrisy and lies" had been presented to the UN's top court, adding that South Africa's accusation against Israel of genocide in Gaza could only happen in a world turned upside-down.

"The hypocrisy of South Africa screams to the heavens," Netanyahu said. "Where was South Africa when millions of people were killed or torn from their homes in Syria and Yemen, by whom? By partners of Hamas."

Netanyahu said Israel would maintain the right to defend itself until it had achieved “total victory.”

1617 GMT — Genocide case 'pivotal moment' for int'l system: Palestine

Addressing a joint press conference with South Africa's delegation following the hearing in The Hague, Ammar Hijazi, the assistant minister for multilateral affairs of the State of Palestine, said South Africa presented “damning evidence” confirming the "irreparable harm" that Palestinian people are going through due to "Israel's violation of the Genocide Convention."

Describing the day as "historic not only for Palestine but for humanity and for the whole international rules-based system," Hijazi said Palestine values and appreciates the "historic" action taken by South Africa by requesting the ICJ to intervene to suspend the "genocidal war launched by Israel against the Palestinian people in Gaza."

"This is a pivotal moment for the international system. South Africa took a bold and proactive step on behalf of humanity to protect the Palestinian people and ensure that the Genocide Convention and international law do not become completely irrelevant, which is a prospect that must terrify all of us," he maintained.

He warned that humanity is at a crossroads and added: "The case before the ICJ is a test to the international system. It is a moment of naked truth and an opportunity to provide hope to humanity at a time when it's sorely needed."

"Leaders have a historic responsibility, and their actions will be judged by history," he stated.

1530 GMT — World must ensure Israel abides by any UN court ruling: HRW

The head of Human Rights Watch praised South Africa for bringing Israel's military attacks against Gaza to the top UN court and said the international community would be responsible for ensuring that Israel complies with any judicial decision.

South Africa demanded an emergency suspension of Israel's aerial and ground offensive in the Palestinian enclave, telling ICJ that Israel was committing genocidal acts.

"South Africa is providing important leadership here. It's really using this important opportunity," Tirana Hassan, executive director of Human Rights Watch, said.

"If Israel does not comply with the measures or orders of the court, then it is up to the international community to ensure that they are leveraging whatever pressure that they can to encourage Israel to actually implement the measures."

1528 GMT — Israeli officials' 'insinuations of forced displacement are completely unacceptable,' says EU foreign policy chief

EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borell said that declarations by Israeli government representatives about making life impossible for civilians in Gaza, ultimately forcing them to leave, are "disturbing, counterproductive and dangerous."

"Civilians in Gaza must be protected. Insinuations of forced displacement are completely unacceptable," he wrote on X.

1459 GMT — Former UK Labour leader has hope for provisional order in UN Court in Gaza genocide case against Israel

Former UK Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said that he hopes "there will be a provisional order made very soon" at the end of a UN court case.

"The demand made and the last part of the South African presentation made this morning was in order for the court to give an interim order," he told Anadolu at the Hague.

"I hope they do anything that can hold the bombing; anything that can save a life in Gaza has got to be worthwhile. There was incredibly strong evidence of the way in which civilian population is being killed," he said.

1451 GMT — Relatives, Hamas reject Israel army claims against slain journalists

Family members and Hamas rejected claims by the Israeli army that two Al Jazeera journalists it killed in a Gaza air strike were "terror operatives".

Hamza Wael Dahdouh and Mustafa Thuria, who also worked as a video stringer for AFP and other news organisations, were killed on Sunday while they were on an assignment for the Qatar-based channel in the city of Rafah.

On Wednesday, the Israeli army said the two men were "members of Gaza-based terrorist organisations actively involved in attacks against IDF (army) forces".

"Prior to the strike, the two operated drones, posing an imminent threat to IDF troops," the army said.

Hamza's father, Wael al Dahdouh, who is Al Jazeera's Gaza bureau chief, rejected the claims. "These are fabrications. It is clear that they (the army) are attempting to defend themselves, justify what is happening and derail the issue," Dahdouh told AFP.

"It (army) wants to give excuses. This is clear (even) to children here," he said, adding that Hamza had been an experienced journalist. "In this war, journalists can barely do their work, given that they are homeless and displaced," Dahdouh said.

1415 GMT — Over 1,000 organisations support genocide case against Israel

More than 1,000 popular movements, political parties, unions, and various organisations worldwide called on countries to endorse South Africa's genocide case against Israel.

"We now urge other countries to reinforce this strongly worded and well-argued complaint by immediately filing a Declaration of Intervention with the ICJ, also called the World Court," they said in a statement.

The statement expressed grave concerns over Israel's genocidal actions, war crimes, and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

"Many countries have rightly expressed their horror at the State of Israel's genocidal actions, war crimes, and crimes against humanity being committed against Palestinians."

"Israeli Occupying Forces have bombed hospitals, residences, United Nations refugee centres, schools, places of worship, and escape routes, killing and injuring tens of thousands of Palestinians since October 7, 2023. More than half of the dead are women and children," the statement said.

Amongst the signatories to the statement are Nahostgruppe Mannheim (Germany), Malcolm X Center for Self-Determination (US), Islamic Human Rights Commission (UK), Israelis Against Apartheid (Israel), Jordanian Federation of Independent Trade Unions, Mediciana Democratica (Italy), Institute for the Critical Study of Zionism, One Justice (France), South African Jews for a Free Palestine, and the International Iraqi Women’s Assembly.

1405 GMT — Yemen's Houthis leader: Any US attack would not go without a response

Any US attack on Yemen's Houthis will not go without a response, the group's leader, Abdel Malek al Houthi, said in a televised speech.

He said any such response would be bigger than the recent strike in which its drones and missiles targeted a US ship in the Red Sea. "Any American attack will not remain without a response. The response will be greater than the attack that was carried out with twenty drones and a number of missiles," he said.

"We are more determined to target ships linked to Israel, and we will not back down from that," al Houthi said.

1357 GMT — Pro-Israel and Palestinian groups rally outside UN court genocide hearings

Large duelling demonstrations organised by Israel supporters and pro-Palestinian groups converged outside the International Court of Justice as the court began hearings in the Gaza genocide case brought against Israel.

Thousands of pro-Israel protesters singing songs and carrying Dutch and Israeli flags marched to the gates of the Peace Palace in The Hague, where the top UN court is hearing a suit brought by South Africa demanding the emergency suspension of Israel's war on Gaza.

Among the protesters were relatives of people kidnapped or killed during the lightning cross-border attack into Israel by Hamas from Gaza on Oct. 7. Pro-Palestinian groups watched the proceedings on a large screen less than a hundred metres (330 feet) from the Israeli group, lighting red-and-green smoke flares and chanting slogans.

1350 GMT — South Africa believes top UN court will deliver verdict 'within reasonable time'

Following its verbal argument at the World Court, South Africa believes that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) will deliver its verdict "within reasonable time."

"We believe the court has heard our sight. They understand the urgency, and they will deliver the verdict within a reasonable time," Justice Minister Ronald Lamola, who is leading the South African delegation, told reporters.

"The commitment to justice and bring an end to the humanitarian atrocities in Palestine resonate deeply with the collective consciousness of the global community," Lamola said, as he warned that "the scale of these actions is reminiscent of the Rwandan genocide 10 years ago."

1349 GMT — Israel bombs Gaza as Blinken ends regional tour

Israel bombarded southern Gaza as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken ended a days-long regional tour aimed at preventing the Israeli war on Palestinians from spreading.

His final stop in Egypt coincided with a hearing at the UN's top court over an urgent appeal for Israel to immediately suspend its military operations in Gaza.

Adila Hassim, a top lawyer for South Africa, which has brought the case against Israel, said Israel's bombing campaign aimed at the "destruction of Palestinian life" and had pushed Palestinians "to the brink of famine".

1348 GMT — Germany, Hungary approved citizenship to Israeli hostages in Gaza: Israeli media

Germany and Hungary have approved citizenship and issued passports to Israeli hostages in Gaza to facilitate their release, according to media reports.

''Some of the hostages who received German and Hungarian passports were freed in exchange for Israel’s release of convicted Palestinian terrorists and criminals'' in the last seven days of a humanitarian pause in December, said The Jerusalem Post.

''The Israelis who received passports have family members who were born in the Central European countries,'' it added.

The have been no comments from Germany and Hungary on the report.

1303 GMT — Israel labels South Africa 'legal arm' of Hamas

Israel accused South Africa of serving as the "legal arm" of Hamas, as lawyers presented Pretoria's "genocide" case against Israel at the UN's top court.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lior Haiat described South Africa's case over Israel's actions in the besieged Gaza as "one of the greatest shows of hypocrisy in history".

1250 GMT — Two members of Hezbollah's medical body killed in Israeli air strike

Two medics were killed in an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon, according to a Hezbollah-affiliated medical body.

Israeli fighter jets struck an ambulance service centre in the town of Hanine, leaving two medics dead, the Islamic Health Society (Hayaa) said in a statement.

An ambulance was destroyed in the attack.

1244 GMT — Arab rapprochement with Israel 'way to isolate Iran': Blinken

A rapprochement between Israel and Arab countries, most of which do not recognise Israel, is the way to isolate Iran and its proxies, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.

"There's a path that brings Israel's needs and desires for integration," he said in Cairo at the close of a regional tour seeking to avert the spread of the Israeli war on Palestine.

"If you make the necessary commitment to security and you move down the path to a Palestinian state, it's the single best way to isolate Iran and the proxies."

1241 GMT — 23,469 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza since Oct.7 - ministry

Since October 7, a total of 23,469 Palestinians have been reported killed in Gaza due to Israeli airstrikes, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza.

The ministry said another 59,604 people were also wounded in the more than three months of Israeli bombings.

1227 GMT — International law on trial as much as Israel: Irish MEP

Irish members of the European Parliament joined a rally in front of the International Court of Justice at The Hague in support of Gaza, stating that this is a trial on International law as much as Israel.

Member of the European Parliament Claire Daly told Anadolu that she is there representing the overwhelming majority of people around the world, and especially in Europe, who want to see Israel held to account for its actions in Gaza.

"So I think, in some ways, it's international law that's on trial here just as much as Israel. So it's to hear the testimony. It's to witness the adjudications of the court and to, I suppose, have a whole, and an expectation of the international organisations which so far have failed to act will now finally redeem themselves," she said.

"Well, let's see, I mean, look if you were to examine the evidence legally in the cold light of day, they will definitely lead and rule in South Africa's favour, call it genocide and call for it to be halted. But unfortunately, politics often plays a role in these situations as well. But let's see, can the court withstand that interference," Daly added.

1215 GMT — South Africa urges ICJ to order Israel to stop war on Gaza

South Africa has urged the World Court to order Israel to immediately suspend its war on Gaza, where it says Israel is committing genocide against Palestinian civilians.

The demand came at the closing of the first day of hearings of a case brought by South Africa against Israel at the UN's top court. Israel will respond to the allegations on Friday.

0952 GMT — Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, S Africa says at ICJ

South Africa has told judges at the United Nations’ top court that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza and pleaded with the court to urgently order Israel to halt its war on Gaza.

South African lawyers said the latest Gaza war is part of a decades-long oppression of the Palestinians by Israel.

Israel's military aggression in Gaza has pushed the people there to the "brink of famine", a top lawyer for South Africa told the UN's top court on Thursday.

"The situation is such that the experts are now predicting that more people in Gaza may die from starvation and disease" than direct military action, said Adila Hassim.

Genocides "never declared in advance," but ICJ has 13 weeks of evidence showing a "pattern of conduct that justifies the plausible claim of genocidal acts," Hassim said.

ICJ President Joan E. Donoghue said that South Africa argues that Israeli actions after the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas "are genocidal in character" and that Israel "failed to prevent genocide and is committing genocide."

She said South Africa also claims Israel violates "other fundamental obligations under the (UN) Genocide Convention."

Separately, Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, advocate of the High Court of South Africa, said, "Israel has a genocidal intent against the Palestinians in Gaza... that is evident from the way in which this military attack is being conducted."

"It is rooted in the belief that the enemy is not just Hamas, but is embedded in the fabric of Palestinian life in Gaza."