On Friday, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) concluded its two-day public hearings on South Africa’s genocide case against Israel and demand for the court’s urgent intervention to stop Israel’s military operation in Gaza.

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“The Palestinians have experienced systematic oppression and violence for the last 76 years,” said South African Justice Minister Ronald Lamola, who accused Israel of the “deliberate” and “systemic” genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza.

Lawyer Adila Hassim delivered a detailed argument over Israel’s “genocidal intent,” saying that “For the past 96 days, Israel has subjected Gaza to what has been described as one of the heaviest conventional bombing campaigns in the history of modern warfare.”

“23,210 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces during the sustained attacks over the last three months. At least 70 percent of whom I believed to be women and children. Some 7,000 Palestinians are still missing, presumed dead under the rubble,” she said.

“It’s my task to address the court on the genocidal acts that have led to this urgent request for provisional measures” against Israel’s violation of the convention, said Hassim, referring to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

On Friday, however, Israeli lawyer Tal Becker argued that his country’s military operation in Gaza was an act of self-defense and denied South Africa’s genocide accusation.

He stressed that South Africa has “regrettably engaged in a transparent attempt to abuse” the Genocide Convention’s compulsory jurisdiction mechanism.

The United Nations court “lacks jurisdiction” to consider the “provisional measure phase of proceedings,” he said, calling on the court to dismiss South Africa’s request for an order to stop its military campaign in Gaza.

Previously, on Thursday night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a video statement, slamming South Africa over the accusation. He said Israeli army is doing everything to avoid harming civilians during its operations.

Before the ICJ hearing, Netanyahu also said that Israel has no intention of permanently occupying Gaza or displacing its population. He vowed that his country is acting in full compliance with international law.

As the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, the ICJ was established by the UN Charter in June 1945 and began its activities in April 1946. The court is composed of 15 judges elected for a nine-year term by the General Assembly and the UN Security Council.

According to the Statute of the International Court of Justice, the ICJ has the power “to indicate, if it considers that circumstances so require, any provisional measures” while resolving legal disputes submitted by countries. Its judgment is final and without appeal.

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