Israel defends military actions in Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has staunchly defended his country’s actions, in a heated response to South Africa’s accusations of “genocidal” acts in Gaza, asserting unparalleled “morality” in the ongoing conflict.

The comments were made during a cabinet meeting held in Tel Aviv on Sunday.

Netanyahu refuted South Africa’s claims and insisted that Israel was engaged in a defensive war of justice and morality.

“We will continue our defensive war, the justice and morality of which is without peer,” he declared.

The rift between the two nations deepened after South Africa initiated legal action against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Friday, accusing the Middle Eastern nation of committing genocidal acts in Gaza.

Netanyahu directly addressed this accusation, countering, “No, South Africa, it is not we who have come to perpetrate genocide, it is Hamas.”

He further asserted that Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, posed a threat to all Israelis, stating, “It would murder all of us if it could. In contrast, the IDF (Israeli army) is acting as morally as possible.”

The conflict escalated when Israel launched a relentless military campaign against Hamas in the Gaza Strip following an unprecedented attack by Palestinian militants on southern Israel on October 7.

According to a report on Israeli figures, the militants’ attack resulted in approximately 1,140 deaths, mostly civilians.

The toll of Israel’s ongoing offensive is staggering, with the health ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza reporting over 21,800 casualties, predominantly women and children. The situation remains tense as international scrutiny intensifies, and both Israel and South Africa present their cases on the global stage.