Pro-Israel protesters, families of hostages sing to welcome Shabbat outside ICJ

Shabbat reception ceremony of the families of the hostages in front of the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

Israel’s legal defense team offered its rebuttal at the International Court of Justice in The Hague Friday, a day after a South African delegation delivered its evidence to the court to support Pretoria’s claim the Jewish state committed genocide in Gaza.

Pro-Israel demonstrators gathered outside the court, facing off against anti-Israel protesters, as Jerusalem’s chief courtroom advocate, Professor Malcolm Shaw, argued his case.

Israel National News reported that families of the Israelis held captive by Hamas sang ‘Shalom Aleichem,’ a prayer that welcomes in the Sabbath, outside of the court, and set up a Shabbat table with empty chairs representing the hostages who are still being held in Gaza.

On Thursday, South Africa’s legal team referenced numerous comments by Israeli military and political leaders in the wake of the October 7th invasion, claiming they showed an intent to carry out genocide against Gazans, thus framing Israel’s military response to the Hamas attacks as an attempt to ethnically cleanse the Gaza Strip.

Opening Israel’s rebuttal Friday, Israeli Foreign Ministry adviser Tal Becker excoriated South Africa, accusing its government of “grossly” distorting events, highlighting Hamas atrocities, including the massacre and abduction of Israeli civilians.

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