Israel began defending its Gaza offensive in a courtroom in The Hague on Friday, as the country rejects the allegation it is committing genocide against Palestinians. An Israeli legal team is giving three hours of evidence in reply to a case set out a day earlier by South Africa at the International Court of Justice. Lawyers are expected to argue Israel is acting in self-defence after it was attacked by Hamas militants on October 7. Israel also says its military is trying to minimise harm to Palestinians.
