SA presented a distorted picture of Gaza situation, Israel tells ICJ

CAPE TOWN - Israel said South Africa had presented a distorted picture of the situation in Gaza in its latest request to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to order a stop to Israel's assault on Rafah. 
 
Israel's deputy attorney general, Gilad Noam, on Friday told the court that South Africa's arguments had been outrageous and libelous. 
 
He said that instead of South Africa repeatedly returning to the court, the focus should be on getting Hamas to accept a ceasefire deal.

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Israel has once again labelled South Africa an ally of Palestinian militant group, Hamas.
 
Israel said that for the ICJ to accede to South Africa's request for additional measures would be akin to siding with Hamas, which can't be held accountable by the court. 
 
Noam said that while South Africa had presented Rafah as the last refuge for displaced civilians, it was also a military stronghold for Hamas. 
 
He told the court that Israel is doing all it could to protect civilian lives and to provide them with the necessary aid. 
 
"I'm compelled to restate once again, that there's a tragic war going on, but there's no genocide."
 
Noam said that it would be untenable to deny Israel the right to defend itself from the assault waged by Hamas on Israeli targets. 
 
"South Africa is not interested in the truth nor is it interested in the law or justice. Once again, it’s exploiting the court and its authority to issue additional measures." 
 
Israel said that South Africa had not provided the court with sufficient reasons to deviate from the provisional measures it's previously granted and those currently in place were sufficient.