Israel faces charges of genocide due to the war in Gaza, today (Thursday), before the International Court of Justice in The Hague, according to the German Press Agency.

The International Court of Justice, the highest judicial body in the United Nations, will hear a case brought by South Africa accusing Israel of violating the United Nations Genocide Convention due to its bombing of the civilian population in the Gaza Strip.

According to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health in Gaza, the number of Palestinians killed since the beginning of the war in October has risen to 23,357 people.

Israel strongly rejects the accusation of genocide and says it is defending itself after gunmen from Hamas and other groups killed about 1,200 people during an attack on Israel on October 7.

The judges must first rule on an urgent request from South Africa to immediately stop the military operation. It may take several weeks for a decision to be made, and only after that will the judges discuss the genocide allegations.

South Africa, which brought the case because it saw echoes of apartheid from its own history in Israel's actions, will take the floor first. Israel will respond on Friday, but a ruling could take years.