Because the second day of hearings started Friday on the United Nations’ high court docket, Israel is rejecting allegations levied by South Africa that its marketing campaign towards Hamas quantities to genocide towards the Palestinian folks, saying that, if something, it’s Hamas that’s responsible of genocide.
Though the case is more likely to take years to resolve, South Africa is asking the Worldwide Court docket of Justice to order a right away suspension of Israel’s navy offensive within the Gaza Strip.
In the meantime, United States and British militaries launched strikes on websites utilized by the Iran-backed Houthi insurgent group in Yemen in retaliation for his or her assaults on ships within the Crimson Sea. The Houthis say their assaults are geared toward stopping Israel’s battle on Hamas, however their targets more and more have little or no connection to Israel and imperil an important commerce route linking Asia and the Center East with Europe.
The Oct. 7 Hamas assault from Gaza into southern Israel that triggered the battle killed round 1,200 folks and noticed some 250 others taken hostage by militants. Israel’s air, floor and sea assault in Gaza has killed greater than 23,000 folks, some 70% of them ladies and youngsters, in line with the Well being Ministry within the Hamas-ruled territory. The rely doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants.
Presently:
— Israel will defend itself on the U.N.’s high court docket towards allegations of genocide.
— The U.S. and British militaries bomb greater than a dozen websites utilized by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen.
— Blinken sees a path to peace in Gaza, reconstruction and regional safety after his Mideast tour.
— Discover extra of AP’s protection at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war.
This is the most recent:
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Israel is rejecting allegations levied by South Africa that its marketing campaign towards Hamas quantities to genocide towards the Palestinian folks, saying that, if something, it’s Hamas that’s responsible of genocide.
Israeli consultant Tal Becker requested for a dismissal of the case, calling it “a libel” in his opening assertion Friday to the Worldwide Court docket of Justice.
He instructed the court docket that Hamas began the violence with its shock Oct. 7 assault on Israel through which greater than 1,200 folks have been killed, whereas exhibiting the court docket photos of these folks slain.
Becker accused Hamas of hiding its fighters and navy belongings all through Gaza in densely populated civilian areas, and making use of mosques, houses, U.N. services and hospitals. He additionally confirmed the court docket video of Hamas official Ghazi Hamad vowing to proceed assaults and annihilate Israel, whereas discounting the reported dying toll of greater than 23,000 Palestinians as “unverified statistics supplied by Hamas itself.”
“If there’s a risk to the Palestinian civilians of Gaza, it stems primarily from the truth that they’ve lived below the management of a genocidal terrorist group that has whole disregard for his or her life and well-being,” Becker, who’s the authorized adviser to the Israeli Ministry of Overseas Affairs, instructed the court docket.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Lawyer Malcolm Shaw defended Israel from the cost of genocide launched by South Africa on the Worldwide Court docket of Justice by saying Israel’s blistering offensive on Gaza was a official use of armed power in self-defense.
Over 23,000 Palestinians have been killed within the Israeli air and floor offensive, in line with the Hamas-run Well being Ministry, two thirds of whom are believed to be ladies and youngsters. Shaw, the second of six members of the Israeli authorized staff to talk, mentioned that the excessive dying toll doesn’t quantity to genocide.
“Armed battle is brutal and prices lives, notably when the militia in query targets civilians,” Shaw mentioned, “and is patently unconcerned about inflicting civilian casualties by itself facet.”
He accused South Africa of cheapening the cost of genocide — which he referred to as the “crime of crimes” — by making use of it to the Israeli offensive. He mentioned the “actual genocide” occurred when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 folks.
PARIS — France condemned Houthi assaults on vessels within the Crimson Sea and demanded a right away halt Friday. France has warships within the area that defend business vessels and are working with American and British companions.
“By way of these armed actions, the Houthis bear a particularly heavy duty for regional escalation,” the French Overseas Ministry mentioned in a press release. It famous that this week’s United Nations decision provides international locations “the best to react to those assaults.”
“France will proceed to imagine its obligations and contribute to maritime safety on this zone along side its companions,” it mentioned.
RAFAH, Gaza Strip — 9 members of a Palestinian household have been killed in an Israeli strike in southern Gaza.
Relations gathered Friday on the Abu Yousef Al-Najar Hospital in Rafah to grieve for his or her family members who have been killed the day earlier than, their our bodies laid out on the bottom lined in white sheets.
Lots of of individuals have been killed in latest days in strikes throughout the territory, together with in areas of the far south the place Israel has instructed folks to hunt refuge. Israeli navy operations in Gaza have currently targeted on the southern metropolis of Khan Younis and concrete refugee camps within the territory’s heart.
The Israeli navy mentioned Friday that, over the previous day, it had killed dozens of militants in Khan Younis and the Maghazi camp.
Because the Oct. 7 assault launched by Hamas into southern Israel through which some 1,200 folks have been killed, not less than 23,469 Palestinians have been killed in line with the Ministry of Well being in Hamas-run Gaza.
Israel has reported 184 troopers killed for the reason that starting of its floor operations.
London — Talking Friday in regards to the strikes on Yemen, Russian Overseas Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova strongly condemned “these irresponsible actions by the USA and its allies” within the Center East.
Talking throughout her weekly briefing, Zakharova mentioned that “a large-scale navy escalation within the Crimson Sea area may reverse the optimistic traits which have just lately emerged within the Yemeni settlement course of, in addition to destabilizing the scenario all through the Center East area.” She additionally mentioned the “U.S. place within the U.N. Safety Council on the Crimson Sea is barely a pretext for additional escalation of tensions within the area.”
COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Norwegian Overseas Minister Espen Barth Eide described the scenario within the Mideast as “a low-intensity battle” that was “now spreading to neighboring international locations.”
“The fundamental battle is the one we see in Gaza and within the Center East itself. We should do every part we are able to to resolve it,” Barth Eide mentioned. “On the identical time, it isn’t acceptable that there are common assaults on transport by means of the Crimson Sea.”
His Swedish colleague Tobias Billström mentioned in a press release to the Swedish information company TT that the duty for the scenario “lies with the Houthis. Their assaults within the Crimson Sea should cease.”
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — United States-led airstrikes on Yemen killed not less than 5 folks and wounded six others, navy spokesperson from the Houthi rebels Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree mentioned Friday in a videotaped handle.
“The American and British enemy bears full duty for its felony aggression towards our Yemeni folks, and it’ll not go unanswered and unpunished,” Saree mentioned.
He described 73 strikes hitting 5 areas of Yemen below Houthi management. He didn’t elaborate on what the U.S.-led strikes focused.
BERLIN — The electrical automobile firm Tesla introduced it would halt most of its manufacturing for 2 weeks in its manufacturing unit close to Berlin, from Jan. 29 to Feb. 11, because of the creating battle within the Crimson Sea.
“The armed conflicts within the Crimson Sea and the related shifts in transport routes between Europe and Asia through the Cape of Good Hope are additionally affecting manufacturing in Grünheide,” Tesla mentioned in a press release Thursday evening. “The considerably longer transport instances create a spot within the provide chains.”
Regular operations are anticipated to start once more on Feb. 12, Tesla mentioned within the assertion.
