GAZA CITY: Israel launched a barrage of airstrikes on the southern Gaza Strip on Thursday as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Egypt for the final leg of regional talks aimed at preventing the Israel-Hamas conflict from escalating further.
Blinken, set to meet with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, is concluding a nine-country Middle East trip. His arrival in Cairo coincided with the start of a hearing at the UN’s top court over accusations Israel has committed “genocidal acts” against Palestinians in Gaza.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) began hearing accusations against Israel, with South Africa accusing the nation of breaching the UN Genocide Convention in response to Hamas’s October 7 attack. Israel’s President labeled the case “atrocious and preposterous,” while Blinken dismissed it as “meritless.”
“The situation is such that the experts are now predicting that more people in Gaza may die from starvation and disease” than from military action, said Adila Hassim, a top lawyer for South Africa, which has brought the case against Israel.
“No armed attack on a state territory, no matter how serious… can provide justification for or defend breaches of the convention,” said Pretoria’s Justice Minister Ronald Lamola, setting out his country’s case at the court.
Over 23,357 Palestinians Killed in Gaza Since October 7
The conflict, now in its fourth month, started on October 7. Since October 7 Israel launched a relentless military offensive, killing at least 23,357 Palestinians, mostly women and children, in Gaza.
In Gaza’s southern city of Rafah, where displaced people are seeking refuge, residents expressed hope that the ICJ could bring justice.
The relentless Israeli bombardments had triggered a severe humanitarian crisis, with shortages of food, water, fuel, and medicine in Gaza. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus cited “nearly insurmountable challenges” in aid delivery, with only a few hospitals partially functioning.
Before arriving in Egypt, Blinken discussed a possible post-war future for Gaza with Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas. Blinken outlined US support for “tangible steps” towards the creation of a Palestinian state, a goal opposed by Israel’s government.
The conflict has led to increased support for Hamas in the West Bank, where Abbas faces unpopularity. Blinken emphasized Abbas’s commitment to reform the Palestinian Authority for effective leadership in Gaza and West Bank reunification.
Amid regional unrest, Blinken addressed the spike in violence involving resistance groups in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen. The US established a naval task force to protect shipping from attacks in the Red Sea, with Blinken warning of “consequences” if Iran-backed attacks continue.
