Israeli Justice Ministry official Gilad Noam called SA's case, which accuses Israel of violating the Genocide Convention, "completely divorced from facts and circumstances".

"(The case) makes a mockery of the heinous charge of genocide," Noam said.

Ahead of Israel's presentation, several dozen pro-Israeli protesters gathered outside, displaying photographs of hostages taken by Hamas fighters on October 7 and demanding their release.

More than 35 300 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s seven-month-old assault on the Gaza Strip, health officials in the enclave said this Thursday. The war began when Hamas militants attacked Israel on October 7, killing 1 200 people and abducting 253 others.

On Thursday, SA's Ambassador to the Netherlands, Vusimuzi Madonsela, requested the court to order Israel to "immediately, totally and unconditionally, withdraw the Israeli army from the entirety of the Gaza Strip."

The SA legal team framed the Israeli military operation as part of a genocidal plan aimed at bringing about the destruction of the Palestinian people.

In past rulings, the court has rejected Israel's demands to dismiss the case and ordered it to prevent acts of genocide against the Palestinians, while stopping short of ordering it to halt the assault.

--Reuters--