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U.S., British strikes on Houthis come after rebels' 27th attack on shipping

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ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR

 * Pact to end the war
 * Grim search for hostages
 * Communicating in Gaza
 * Crumbling health system

EVENT ENDED
Last updated Jan. 12, 2024, 7:04 AM GMT+1


U.S., BRITISH STRIKES ON HOUTHIS COME AFTER REBELS' 27TH ATTACK ON SHIPPING

The U.N.'s top court heard South Africa’s case that Israel’s military assault in
the Gaza Strip amounts to genocide against Palestinians, an accusation Israel
has denied.
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04:33






 
U.S., U.K. launch strikes against targets in Houthi-controlled Yemen
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Updated Jan. 12, 2024, 7:04 AM GMT+1
By NBC News

Coverage on this live blog has ended. Follow live updates here.


WHAT WE KNOW

 * The U.S. and British militaries launched strikes today in Yemen, which is
   largely controlled by Houthi rebels who have been carrying out attacks in the
   Red Sea since they declared support for Hamas.
 * The United Nations’ top court has heard South Africa’s case that Israel’s
   military assault on the Gaza Strip amounts to genocide against Palestinians,
   an accusation that Israel denies and has dismissed as "atrocious and
   preposterous." South Africa is initially asking the International Court of
   Justice to order an immediate halt to Israel’s offensive, though a decision
   is likely to take weeks.
 * Ahead of two days of opening arguments, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
   Netanyahu offered his first public rebuke of comments by senior members of
   his government that have drawn criticism from the U.S. and others. "Israel
   has no intention of permanently occupying Gaza or displacing its civilian
   population," he said in a video statement in English.
 * The U.S. has been pushing Israel to reduce civilian suffering and embrace
   proposals for post-war Gaza, with a senior administration official claiming
   some modest success in getting Middle East leaders behind plans. Secretary of
   State Antony Blinken was in Egypt to wrap up his diplomatic tour, which has
   also focused on preventing a broader regional war amid growing attacks by
   Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the Red Sea and escalating clashes between
   Israel and the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon.
 * More than 23,400 people have been killed in Gaza since the war began,
   according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. More than 59,600 have been
   injured, and thousands more are missing and presumed dead.
 * Israeli military officials say at least 189 soldiers have been killed during
   the country's ground invasion of Gaza, which came after 1,200 people were
   killed and about 240 hostages were seized after Hamas launched multipronged
   attacks on Israel on Oct. 7.
 * NBC News’ Richard Engel, Raf Sanchez, Ali Arouzi, Chantal Da Silva and Josh
   Lederman are reporting from the region.

322d ago / 7:04 AM GMT+1
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LAWMAKERS RESPOND TO STRIKES IN YEMEN, SOME RAISING AUTHORIZATION CONCERNS

Zoë Richards

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers offered mixed reviews over the United States' military
action in Yemen. Republicans, particularly those in leadership positions, are
largely supportive, calling the strikes overdue.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., welcomed the operations, saying
in a statement, "President Biden’s decision to use military force against these
Iranian proxies is overdue."

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Ala., also called action from U.S. and British
forces "long overdue" in a post on X, adding that the U.S. “must always project
strength, especially in these dangerous times.”

Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee Jack Reed also backed the
military action, which he said in a statement tonight was "necessary and
proportional."

Some progressive Democrats, meanwhile, criticized Biden because he did not seek
congressional authorization, a view shared by some Republicans.

"The United States cannot risk getting entangled into another decades-long
conflict without Congressional authorization," Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis., wrote on
X.

Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, wrote on X that he was "potentially fine" with striking,
but questioned why Congress was not making those calls, asking, "Under what
authority was this carried out?"


322d ago / 6:31 AM GMT+1
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STRIKES WERE AGAINST 60 HOUTHI TARGETS, AIR FORCE SAYS

Phil Helsel

U.S. strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen involved over 60 targets at 16
locations, and over 100 “precision-guided munitions of various types” were used,
the Air Force said late Thursday ET.

The strikes were against “command and control nodes, munitions depots, launching
systems, production facilities, and air defense radar systems,” U.S. Air Forces
Central said in a statement.

The Houthis, Iranian-backed militants, have been launching attacks against
commercial and military ships in the Red Sea after having declared their support
for Hamas, officials have said.

The strikes involved aircraft, as well as Tomahawk missiles “launched from
surface and sub-surface platforms,” it said.

“We remain committed to our critical partners throughout the Middle East to
defend against Iranian-backed Militia Groups, including Houthi militants, and
the threat they pose to regional security and stability,” Air Force Lt. Gen.
Alex Grynkewich, the U.S. Air Forces Central and Combined Forces Air Component
commander, said in the statement.


322d ago / 4:53 AM GMT+1
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U.S. MILITARY SAYS HOUTHI ATTACKS ‘WILL NOT BE TOLERATED’

Phil Helsel

The U.S. military late Thursday ET announced the U.S. and U.K. strikes that
targeted Houthi rebels in parts of Yemen that the militant group controls.

Army Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, the commander of U.S. Central Command, said in a
statement that attacks on shipping by the Houthis “will not be tolerated, and
they will be held accountable.”

“We hold the Houthi militants and their destabilizing Iranian sponsors
responsible for the illegal, indiscriminate, and reckless attacks on
international shipping that have impacted 55 nations so far, including
endangering the lives of hundreds of mariners, including the United States,”
Kurilla said in the statement on X, which included video of military aircraft.




322d ago / 4:17 AM GMT+1
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SAUDI ARABIA CALLS FOR RESTRAINT AFTER U.S., U.K. STRIKES IN YEMEN

Phil Helsel

Saudi Arabia “is closely monitoring with great concern” the situation after the
U.S. and the United Kingdom carried out strikes in Houthi rebel-controlled areas
of Yemen, the kingdom’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said Friday local time.

“While the Kingdom emphasizes the importance of maintaining the security and
stability of the Red Sea region, as the freedom of navigation in it is an
international demand due to its impact on the interests of the entire world, it
calls for restraint and avoiding escalation in light of the events the region is
witnessing,” the ministry said in a statement on X, which was published in
English by the Saudi Press Agency.

Saudi Arabia started a war against the Houthi rebels after the group took
control of parts of Yemen, which borders Saudi Arabia, including Yemen’s
capital.

The Houthi rebels are backed by Iran. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin
Salman scaled back his military operation and entered peace talks with the
Houthis last year. 



322d ago / 2:59 AM GMT+1
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STRIKES AGAINST HOUTHIS FOCUSED ON DRONES, MISSILES, RADAR, DEFENSE SECRETARY
SAYS

Phil Helsel

The fighter jet and missile strikes launched against rebel Houthi-controlled
areas of Yemen focused on drones, missiles, radar and surveillance, U.S. Defense
Secretary Lloyd Austin said.

“This action is intended to disrupt and degrade the Houthis’ capabilities to
endanger mariners and threaten global trade in one of the world’s most critical
waterways,” Austin said in a statement. “Today’s coalition action sends a clear
message to the Houthis that they will bear further costs if they do not end
their illegal attacks.”

Today’s strikes targeted sites associated with the Houthis’ unmanned aerial
vehicle, ballistic and cruise missile, and coastal radar and air surveillance
capabilities,” he said. “The United States maintains its right to self-defense
and, if necessary, we will take follow-on actions to protect U.S. forces.”

The U.K. also launched strikes along with the U.S. The U.K.’s Defense Ministry
said four Royal Air Force Typhoons took part.


322d ago / 2:08 AM GMT+1
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BRITISH PRIME MINISTER SUNAK: HOUTHI ATTACKS ‘CANNOT STAND’

Phil Helsel

U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak urged Houthi rebels to cease their aggression.

The U.S. and the U.K. launched the strikes following 27 attacks by Houthi rebels
in Yemen against ships in the Red Sea, a vital waterway, after the Houthis said
they were supporting Hamas against Israel.

“Despite the repeated warnings from the international community, the Houthis
have continued to carry out attacks in the Red Sea, including against UK and US
warships just this week,” Sunak said in a statement tonight confirming the
strikes.

“This cannot stand. The United Kingdom will always stand up for freedom of
navigation and the free flow of trade,” he said.

Sunak said the strikes were “limited, necessary and proportionate action in
self-defence.”

“The Royal Navy continues to patrol the Red Sea as part of the multinational
Operation Prosperity Guardian to deter further Houthi aggression, and we urge
them to cease their attacks and take steps to de-escalate,” Sunak said.


322d ago / 1:40 AM GMT+1
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TOP HOUTHI NEGOTIATOR BLAMES ISRAEL FOR WIDER CONFLICTS IN MIDDLE EAST

Richard Engel

JERUSALEM — The Houthis are a powerful force inside Yemen, but they recently
emerged on the world stage when they began to blockade the Red Sea in
retaliation for Israel’s blockade of Gaza.

A top Houthi negotiator blames Israel for the wider conflicts in the Middle
East. 



322d ago / 1:35 AM GMT+1
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BIDEN SAYS STRIKES WERE 'DIRECT RESPONSE TO UNPRECEDENTED HOUTHI ATTACKS'

NBC News

Biden said today that he ordered strikes against "a number of targets in Yemen
used by Houthi rebels" following attacks by the rebels on ships in the Red Sea.

Biden said that the military action was "together with the United Kingdom and
with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands" and that the
rebels were endangering navigation in a vital waterway.

"These strikes are in direct response to unprecedented Houthi attacks against
international maritime vessels in the Red Sea — including the use of anti-ship
ballistic missiles for the first time in history," Biden said in a statement.

Show more

"These attacks have endangered U.S. personnel, civilian mariners, and our
partners, jeopardized trade, and threatened freedom of navigation. More than 50
nations have been affected in 27 attacks on international commercial shipping.
Crews from more than 20 countries have been threatened or taken hostage in acts
of piracy. More than 2,000 ships have been forced to divert thousands of miles
to avoid the Red Sea—which can cause weeks of delays in product shipping times.
And on January 9, Houthis launched their largest attack to date—directly
targeting American ships.

"The response of the international community to these reckless attacks has been
united and resolute. Last month, the United States launched Operation Prosperity
Guardian—a coalition of more than 20 nations committed to defending
international shipping and deterring Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. We also
joined more than 40 nations in condemning Houthi threats. Last week, together
with 13 allies and partners, we issued an unequivocal warning that Houthi rebels
would bear the consequences if their attacks did not cease. And yesterday, the
United Nations Security Council passed a resolution demanding the Houthis end
attacks on merchant and commercial vessels.

"Today’s defensive action follows this extensive diplomatic campaign and Houthi
rebels’ escalating attacks against commercial vessels. These targeted strikes
are a clear message that the United States and our partners will not tolerate
attacks on our personnel or allow hostile actors to imperil freedom of
navigation in one of the world’s most critical commercial routes. I will not
hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of
international commerce as necessary."


322d ago / 1:22 AM GMT+1
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HOUTHI OFFICIAL CALLS STRIKES AN ‘AGGRESSION’

NBC News

The vice president of the Houthi media authority in the rebel-controlled area of
Yemen said airstrikes by the U.S. and the U.K. were “a brutal aggression.”

The U.S. and the U.K. used fighter jets and Tomahawk missiles to target areas in
rebel-controlled Yemen, U.S. officials said.

Nasr Aldeen Amer, the vice president of the Houthi Media Authority in Sanaa,
confirmed that attacks occurred.

“A brutal aggression against our country, for which they will pay absolutely and
without hesitation, and we will not back down from our position in supporting
the Palestinian people, whatever the cost,” Amer said.


322d ago / 1:20 AM GMT+1
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U.S. HAD WARNED ACTION WAS POSSIBLE

NBC News

Today's strikes did not come as a surprise, as officials had publicly threatened
they were possible if attacks in the Red Sea continued.

The U.S. and Britain are sending a message: “No more warnings,” foreign policy
expert David Rothkopf says.

The British participation in the strikes signals that there is an international
community, not simply one country, seeking to end attacks on shipping vessels,
Rothkopf says.


322d ago / 1:00 AM GMT+1
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HOUTHIS LAUNCHED 27TH ATTACK ON INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING TODAY

Tim Stelloh

The British and U.S. launched airstrikes after U.S. Central Command said the
Iranian-backed Houthis had fired anti-ship ballistic missiles from
Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen into international shipping lanes in the Gulf
of Aden.

No injuries or damage were reported, and a commercial vessel reported seeing the
missile strike the water, the statement said.

The attack was the group’s 27th on international shipping since Nov. 19, Central
Command said.


322d ago / 12:48 AM GMT+1
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U.S., BRITISH MILITARY LAUNCH STRIKES AGAINST TARGETS IN HOUTHI-CONTROLLED YEMEN

Courtney Kube

The U.S. and British militaries have launched strikes against targets in
Houthi-controlled Yemen, two U.S. officials said.

The strikes targeted multiple locations with fighter jets and Tomahawk cruise
missiles fired from Navy ships, the officials said.

Houthi rebels, who are backed by Iran, have been carrying out attacks in the Red
Sea since mid-November after they declared support for Hamas, which attacked
Israel on Oct. 7.

The U.S. has struck Houthi vessels in waters near Yemen and shot down attack
drones, officials have said.

The U.K. has had military assets in the Red Sea, as well. Its defense secretary,
Grant Shapps, said yesterday that one of those vessels, the destroyer HMS
Diamond, destroyed multiple attack drones in the largest Houthi attack on sea to
date.



323d ago / 10:33 PM GMT+1
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STATE DEPARTMENT: PALESTINIANS MUST BE ABLE TO RETURN TO GAZA HOMES

Abigail Williams

Corky Siemaszko

Abigail Williams and Corky Siemaszko

Palestinian civilians who fled the Israeli invasion should be able to return to
their homes in northern Gaza whether or not Hamas releases the remaining
hostages, a State Department spokesman said.

Deputy spokesman Vedant Patel made that clear following reports that Israel was
insisting that Hamas free all the people who were kidnapped on Oct. 7 before
they allow displaced Palestinian civilians to return home.

"So I’m not going to speak to the specifics of internal diplomatic
deliberations, but Palestinian civilians must be able to return to their homes
when they choose to return, full stop," Patel said. "And we’ve been clear that
all hostages must be released immediately, and that the issue of their release
should not be linked to any other issues. We’ve been quite clear about that."

Patel also parried questions about whether the Palestinian Health Ministry was
inflating the number of civilian deaths.

"When when it comes to civilian casualties, any number above zero is one that is
heartbreaking for us," he said. "And that is why at every trip at every
engagement with Israeli officials, at every engagement with regional partners,
we have stressed the importance of steps being taken to minimize the impact on
civilian casualties."

Show more

The Palestinian Health Ministry maintains that, as of Thursday, more than 23,400
people have been killed in Gaza since the war began.

Patel was also asked why the U.S. is defending Israel against charges brought by
South Africa before the United Nations' top court that the Jewish state was
committing genocide against the Palestinians.

"Every conflict is different, and every circumstance is different, and these
kinds of determinations need to be made with a close look at the law and the
facts," Patel said. "And these allegations that Israel is committing genocide
are unfounded. That being said, we have been clear to Israel that they not only
must comply with international humanitarian law in its operations against Hamas,
but it needs to take all feasible steps to prevent civilian harm."

323d ago / 10:01 PM GMT+1
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THE RAFAH HOSPITAL DOCTOR WHO BRINGS HEALING TO GAZA'S SICK AND INJURED

NBC News

Dr. Noor Alwhidi works at Rafah’s Al-Kuwaiti Hospital in southern Gaza. NBC News
followed her as she tended to patients and found time for a rare cup of coffee.



323d ago / 9:32 PM GMT+1
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HOSTAGE FAMILIES GATHER ON GAZA BORDER TO SEND MESSAGES TO LOVED ONES

Yuliya Talmazan

Using microphones and speakers, the families of hostages still being held
captive in Gaza gathered at Israel's border with the enclave in the hope that
their loved ones would hear their messages of support.



Video shared by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum showed dozens of
relatives relaying their messages in Hebrew and English on the stretch of the
border close to the city of Khan Younis in southern Gaza.

Many held posters of their family members.

Efrat Machikawa, whose uncle Gadi Moses has been in Hamas captivity since Oct.
7, joins other hostage families at the Gaza border in Kibbutz Nirim, southern
Israel, today.Maya Alleruzzo / AP

“We are waiting for all the members of Kibbutz Nir Oz,” one relative said in the
video. The woman, who was holding a poster with a photo of 83-year-old Oded
Lifshitz, spoke in English but was not named by the forum. She added that 26
people from the kibbutz remained in captivity.


323d ago / 9:03 PM GMT+1
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GAZAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS PRAISE SOUTH AFRICA FOR ITS ‘COURAGE’

Chantal Da Silva

TEL AVIV — University students in Gaza praised South Africa tonight for its
“courage” after the country brought allegations of genocide against Israel in
the United Nations’ top court. 

“I felt proud about this country for their courage to lead the case,” Mohammad
Nasser, a 24-year-old university student, told NBC News’ crew on the ground.
Nasser said he was able to watch some of today’s proceedings online and was glad
to see South Africa “defend … our case — and in front of the world.”

Mustafa Khaled, a 20-year-old studying business, said he felt the proceedings
marked an important “humanitarian step in this moment” — and he said he was not
surprised to see South Africa take the lead in filing the complaint. “A country
like South Africa has previous experience in such aggressive and violent
circumstances, so it’s not a surprising move,” he said, adding: “We really thank
them and hope that this will make a difference in the situation."

“All the world must move for us to end this genocide,” he said. “Every moment
there is a bombardment, martyrs and injured, so we wish it will end soon.”



323d ago / 8:30 PM GMT+1
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STATE DEPARTMENT SAYS SHIP SEIZED BY IRAN WAS NOT AMERICAN, CONDEMNS ACTIONS

Abigail Williams

Diana Paulsen

Abigail Williams and Diana Paulsen

In a briefing today, State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel confirmed that
the oil tanker seized by Iranians this morning was “a Marshall Islands-flagged
and Greek-owned oil tanker.” He condemned the seizure and called on the Iranian
government to “release the ship and its crew.”


323d ago / 7:57 PM GMT+1
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NELSON MANDELA GROUP BACKS SOUTH AFRICA AGAINST ISRAEL

Corky Siemaszko

The Nelson Mandela Foundation, which bears the name of the man who led the fight
against racist apartheid, said it backs South Africa's bid to try Israel for
genocide against the Palestinian people.

"The Nelson Mandela Foundation extends support to the South African legal team
as they appear before the International Court of Justice today," the group
posted on social media. "Wishing them strength and success in their pursuit of
truth, justice and peace."

Mandela, who died in 2013, was a longtime supporter of the Palestinian bid for
statehood.


323d ago / 7:26 PM GMT+1
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PHOTOS SHOW DEVASTATION OF OLDEST MOSQUE IN GAZA

AFP

NBC News

AFP and NBC News
AFP - Getty Images

The remains of Gaza City’s Omari Mosque, the oldest mosque in Gaza, on Jan. 5.

Much of the Gaza Strip has become unrecognizable, as entire neighborhoods that
were once bustling with people, cars and donkey-drawn carts have been reduced to
rubble.

Palestinians at the Omari Mosque in August.Mahmoud Issa / Sipa USA via AP

323d ago / 6:31 PM GMT+1
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THE WORD 'GENOCIDE' WAS COINED BY A HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR

Corky Siemaszko

Israel stands accused of committing genocide against the Palestinian people — a
crime that did not have a name until 1944 when it was coined by a Polish-Jewish
lawyer who had lost most of his family to the Nazi Holocaust.

Raphael Lemkin, who fled to the U.S. after the Germans in 1939 invaded Poland,
combined the Greek word “genos,” which means race or tribe, with “cide,” which
is Latin for killing, to create a word which means the intentional destruction
of a people, according to the Holocaust Encyclopedia.

It first appeared in Lemkin’s 1944 book “Axis Rule in Occupied Europe,” in which
he documented German attempts to exterminate Jews, Poles and others.

Later, as part of the U.S. team preparing for the Nuremberg trials, Lemkin was
able to get the word included in the indictment against the Hitler’s
accomplices.

Lemkin also successfully pushed the United Nations to made genocide an
international crime. The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the
Crime of Genocide was adopted by the General Assembly in December 1948.



323d ago / 5:50 PM GMT+1
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WHO SUPPORTS AND OPPOSES THE GENOCIDE CLAIMS AGAINST ISRAEL?

Alexander Smith

Conflict in Israel and the Palestinian territories is one of the most divisive
issues in geopolitics. And, as such, South Africa’s case at the ICJ accusing
Israel of genocide against the Palestinians has divided world governments.


SUPPORTING SOUTH AFRICA

The Arab world has, rhetorically at least, staunchly supported people in Gaza
since Israel launched its war in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks. So it
follows that among those backing South Africa is the Organization of Islamic
Cooperation. The 56 members of the OIC cover a population of almost 2 billion
people, spanning North and West Africa to the Middle East and Central Asia; from
Morocco and Nigeria to Pakistan and Kazakhstan.

Several members of this group — including NATO member Turkey — have
independently supported the case, as have Bolivia and Venezuela.


SUPPORTING ISRAEL

Of those rejecting the case and supporting Israel, the United States has been
the loudest voice, maintaining its stance as Israel’s biggest ally and main
financial backer. It says the allegation of genocide is “unfounded.”

Germany, which has what it calls a “special” relationship with Israel, has also
said it believes the allegations are “false,” and Austria has issued similar
dismissals.


SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN

Other Western countries and bodies have declined to pick sides.

The United Kingdom has remained silent on its views. And there has been a latent
tension within the European Union, of which Germany is the biggest economy, with
its officials saying they will not comment. However other governments, such as
Belgium and Spain, have been far more critical of Israel's actions, some of them
individually supporting the ICJ case.



323d ago / 5:40 PM GMT+1
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RIGHT-WING MINISTERS’ COMMENTS 'DAMAGING' ISRAEL AS IT FACES ICJ HEARING, LEGAL
EXPERT SAYS

Chantal Da Silva

TEL AVIV — Comments made by right-wing ministers in Israel's government have
been “damaging” to the country, a prominent international law expert said as
Israel faced accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice.

Professor Amichai Cohen said he thought it was possible that the ICJ would
“accept the position of South Africa” in the initial stages of proceedings
because “the only thing that South Africa has to prove is the plausibility of
the claim.”

South Africa, in an 84-page legal filing submitted to the court, accused Israel
of killing, injuring and displacing Palestinian civilians, and denying them
food, water and other essentials after Oct. 7, when Hamas launched mutlipronged
attacks on the country.

The filing says Israel, which has vowed to fight back at the hearings, has done
this in a way that’s “intended to bring about the destruction of a substantial
part of the Palestinian national, racial and ethnic group.”  

Show more

Cohen, an international law expert with the Israel Democracy Institute and the
Ono Academic College, said he did not believe his country’s actions meet “what
the court has said is the threshold for genocide, even if the claims are
correct.”

But he said he thought recent comments from right-wing Israeli ministers could
constitute an “incitement to genocide,” and the country’s leaders should be
doing more to “suppress these statements.”

“If the claim is, Israel is not doing enough to suppress incitement, then I
agree, but this doesn’t go to show a plan of the state,” he said. “It only goes
to show there are very extreme right-wingers in Israel that should be held
accountable.”

323d ago / 5:00 PM GMT+1
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BIDEN ADVISER HOPEFUL FOR 'DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION' TO LEBANON CRISIS

Alexander Smith

White House senior adviser Amos Hochstein met Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister
and other government officials today and said he firmly believes “that the
people of Lebanon do not want to see an escalation of the current crisis to a
further conflict.”

Hochstein met Prime Minister Najib Mikati in Beirut, as Israel traded
cross-border fire with the powerful Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Thousands
of people on both sides of the border have been forced to flee their homes.

“We need to find a diplomatic solution that will allow for the Lebanese people
to return to their homes in south Lebanon and to go back to their normal lives,
as the people of Israel need to be able to return to their homes in their north,
to be able to live with security,” Hochstein told reporters.

“I have had good discussions here with the government, and I am hopeful that we
can continue to work this effort to arrive together, all of us on both sides of
the border, with a solution that will allow for all people in Lebanon and Israel
to live with guaranteed security and focus on a better future,” he added.


323d ago / 4:25 PM GMT+1
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DELEGATES WATCH ICJ CASE AT THE PALESTINIAN MISSION IN PRETORIA

Max Butterworth

Ambassadors from Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey and Palestinian territories gathered to
watch the South African government’s genocide case at the International Court of
Justice in The Hague today.

They followed the proceedings today at the headquarters of the Palestinian
mission in Pretoria, South Africa.

Alet Pretorius / Reuters


323d ago / 3:45 PM GMT+1
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U.S. CLAIMS CAUTIOUS SUCCESS AS BLINKEN WRAPS MIDDLE EAST TOUR

Andrea Mitchell

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has wrapped up his seven-day tour of the
Middle East, with a senior administration official claiming modest but
potentially significant progress on getting regional support for a plan for
Gaza’s postwar future.

Speaking to journalists at an airport in Cairo ahead of his flight back to
Washington, Blinken said the countries he had visited were increasingly willing
to offer some form of rehabilitation for Gaza in exchange for an independent
Palestinian state.



“None of this will happen overnight. But there is a greater willingness now of
countries to make the hard decisions and do what’s necessary to advance on that
track,” he said. “That path is clearly there. It’s possible and we can see it.”

Show more

In seven days, Blinken visited nine countries, including Turkey, Saudi Arabia,
Egypt and Israel itself, plus the occupied West Bank.

The U.S. wanted to walk into the Israeli meeting with a unique offer in its back
pocket: something approaching agreement among these neighboring states to offer
rehabilitation and maybe security for Gaza — in return for a concrete path to a
two-state solution, a senior administration official told reporters, requesting
anonymity to discuss details of the tour candidly.

323d ago / 3:30 PM GMT+1
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COUSIN OF HOSTAGE SAYS HE BELIEVES GENOCIDE CASE COULD HELP ISRAEL ON GLOBAL
STAGE

Chantal Da Silva

TEL AVIV — Israel is facing accusations of genocide at the U.N.'s top court, but
the cousin of a woman held hostage by Hamas said he hopes the proceedings will
ultimately help “show the world” the “nightmare” faced by those with relatives
still in captivity.

“The whole world should understand that this is a crime against humanity that
Hamas has committed,” said Gil Dickmann, whose cousin, Carmel Gat, 39, was taken
hostage during Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks. And he said he hoped Israel would
demonstrate that during the case, which it has chosen to fight.

"In a way it’s great to see that the Israeli government chooses this way of
showing the world the war and the reality that we’re facing," he said.

Dickmann, 31, said he wanted the fighting and bloodshed in Gaza to end. But he
said he would not welcome a cease-fire until all of the 136 people believed to
remain captive are returned.

“I don’t think any of us wanted to see this happening in Gaza,” Dickmann said.
“I don’t want more blood or revenge.” But he said he believed the mounting death
toll and devastation in Gaza are “consequences of a terror organization that
commits war crimes and crimes against humanity.”


323d ago / 3:17 PM GMT+1
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IRAN CONFIRMS SEIZURE OF OIL TANKER INVOLVED IN U.S. DISPUTE

Reuters

Iran seized a tanker with Iraqi crude oil destined for Turkey today in what
appeared to be a retaliation for the seizure last year of the same vessel by the
United States, Iranian media reported.

The Marshall Islands-flagged tanker St Nikolas, which last year was confiscated
by the U.S. for carrying Iranian oil, was boarded by armed intruders as it
sailed close to the Omani city of Sohar, according to British maritime security
firm Ambrey, and its AIS tracking system was turned off as it headed in the
direction of the Iranian port of Bandar-e-Jask.

Following the seizure of the vessel last year, Iran warned the U.S. that "it
will not go unanswered."

"The Navy of Iran’s Army has announced the seizure of an American oil tanker in
the Gulf of Oman with a judicial order," Iranian state media cited a statement
by the Army as saying.

It was unclear why Iranian media described the ship as an American vessel.

In 2023 the St Nikolas was seized in a sanctions enforcement operation when it
sailed under a different name, Suez Rajan.


323d ago / 3:00 PM GMT+1
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PALESTINIAN RIGHTS GROUP APPLAUDS SOUTH AFRICA FOR GETTING 'WHEELS OF JUSTICE'
TURNING

Josh Lederman

Bill O'Reilly

Josh Lederman and Bill O'Reilly

RAMALLAH, West Bank — A Palestinian rights group is applauding South Africa for
opening its genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice
in The Hague, saying the whole world will suffer if the court fails to act
because “the credibility of the system is at stake.”

“This triggers the system of international justice, the wheels of justice to
turn,” said Wesam Ahmad, director of the Center for Applied International Law at
Al-Haq, an organization based in the occupied West Bank. “We can’t expect these
wheels of justice to turn on their own. There needs to be political action to
move them forward.”

In an interview this morning ahead of the first day of proceedings, Ahmad told
NBC News that calls by some Israeli ministers to permanently relocate
Palestinians out of Gaza were an important component of the case. Referencing
the Fourth Geneva Convention, he said international law makes it illegal “to
transfer civilian population in occupied territory out of occupied territory.”

Israel and the United States say South Africa’s accusations of genocide are
baseless.



323d ago / 2:50 PM GMT+1
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ISIS-AFFILIATED 'TERRORISTS' ARRESTED IN JERUSALEM AFTER PLANNING ATTACKS,
ISRAEL SAYS

Yuliya Talmazan

Jerusalem police and Israel’s domestic security agency Shin Bet said today they
had "foiled terrorist attacks" in East Jerusalem planned by "two terrorists" who
supported ISIS.

The agencies said the "terrorists" planned to prepare explosive charges and
explosive devices aimed at the security forces, but they were arrested before
their plans could be realized.

NBC News could not verify the claim or the identities of the arrested people.


323d ago / 2:24 PM GMT+1
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ISRAEL DENIES STRIKING AMBULANCE AS PALESTINIAN AID GROUP MOURNS CREW KILLED IN
CENTRAL GAZA

Yuliya Talmazan

The Palestine Red Crescent Society is mourning four of its members killed in
what it said was a strike by Israel on one of its ambulances, but Israel denied
carrying out any strikes in the area at the time of the incident.

Colleagues of Palestine Red Crescent personnel who were killed after an attack
on an ambulance attend their funeral in Deir al-Balah, Gaza, today.Ashraf Amra /
Anadolu via Getty Images

The PRCS said yesterday that four members of its ambulance team died as a result
of a strike in the Deir al-Balah area in central Gaza after they were
"intentionally targeted" by Israel inside an ambulance marked with the Red
Crescent emblem. The organization said two other individuals who were in the
ambulance at the time sustained injuries and later died.

NBC News could not independently verify the details of the incident.

The PRCS has been sharing names and photos of the crew members killed, talking
about their service and family members left behind, as pictures emerged of their
funerals being held in Gaza today.

In response to the incident, the Israeli military told NBC News that a review
was conducted based on the details provided to the IDF and it showed that no
strike was carried out in the described area.

The head of the World Health Organization and the International Federation of
Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have issued statements on social media
denouncing the strike.


323d ago / 2:05 PM GMT+1
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REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES OFFER SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL AT GOP DEBATE

Henry Austin

They tore strips off each other, but the two Republicans vying to knock Donald
Trump off his perch as the 2024 primary front-runner expressed unequivocal
support for Israel at a one-on-one debate in Iowa yesterday.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley both
suggested that Israel should be allowed to continue its campaign against Hamas
in Gaza.



DeSantis said the U.S. should “support Israel, in word and in deed, in public
and in private.” He added: “I think to be a good ally, you back them in the
decisions that they’re making with respect to Gaza.”

Haley, meanwhile, said that Israel should be given “whatever it wants,” and that
Hamas should be eliminated “once and for all.”

Check out our roundup of the debate here.


323d ago / 1:49 PM GMT+1
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SOUTH AFRICA WRAPS UP OPENING ARGUMENTS IN ISRAEL GENOCIDE CASE

Alexander Smith

The International Court of Justice has finished hearing South Africa’s arguments
in its case accusing Israel of genocide in its war in Gaza.

South Africa says Israel has breached the 1948 Genocide Convention by killing
Palestinians while displaying genocidal intent in its public statements. Its
team of lawyers laid out these arguments in front of 17 judges, livestreamed
around the world over the course of three hours.

The case may take years, but South Africa is calling on the court to impose an
order in the meantime to stop the violence while the case plays out.

“South Africa now respectfully and humbly calls on this honorable court to do
what is in its power to do … to prevent further irreparable harm to the
Palestinian people in Gaza,” said Blinne Ni Ghralaigh, a lawyer on the South
African legal team. “The very reputation of international law,” she added,
“hangs in the balance.”

Tomorrow, Israel will present its defense, likely resting on its contention that
it is targeting only Hamas and doing everything it can to protect civilians. It
has rejected South Africa’s case as “an absurd blood libel.”



323d ago / 1:31 PM GMT+1
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SOUTH AFRICA LAWYER EXPLAINS WHY HAMAS CAN'T FACE ICJ GENOCIDE SUITS

Alexander Smith

Many international law experts agree that Hamas is an inherently genocidal
organization, but Vaughan Lowe, a British lawyer representing South Africa at
the ICJ, has pointed out that because Hamas is not a state, it is not party to
the Genocide Convention of 1948 and could therefore not be accused of this war
crime at the ICJ.

Israel is one of the convention's signatories.

The International Criminal Court, or ICC, does deal with individuals, rather
than states. And ICC prosecutor Karim Khan said last month that Hamas' attack
Oct. 7 contained “some of the most serious international crimes that shock the
conscience of humanity,” and said his court was ready to assist Israel in
investigating.


323d ago / 1:10 PM GMT+1
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PALESTINIANS' HOPES FOR SURVIVAL 'ARE NOW VESTED IN THIS COURT,' SOUTH AFRICA
SAYS

Alexander Smith

A lawyer for South Africa has asked the ICJ to call for a temporary cease-fire
in Gaza while the legal proceedings play out, saying that Palestinians' "hopes,
including for their very survival, are now vested in this court."

As well as accusing Israel of genocide, which could take years for the court to
rule on, South Africa is asking the court to impose "provisional measures" in
the meantime to stop the violence.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators outside The Hague today.Robin Utrecht / AFP -
Getty Images

"South Africa now respectfully and humbly calls on this honorable court to do
what is in its power to do … to prevent further irreparable harm to the
Palestinian people in Gaza," said Blinne Ni Ghralaigh, a lawyer on the South
African legal team. "The very reputation of international law," she added,
"hangs in the balance."

She told the court that "it is becoming ever clearer that huge swaths of Gaza —
entire towns, villages, refugee camps — are being wiped from the map."


323d ago / 12:55 PM GMT+1
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GLOBAL TRADE DROPS BY 1.3% AS ATTACKS ON RED SEA SHIPPING RAMP UP, REPORT SAYS

Andy Eckardt

MAINZ, Germany — Global trade fell by 1.3% from November to December as Houthi
rebels ramped up attacks on merchant vessels in the Red Sea, according to a new
report.

The volume of cargo transported through the waterway plummeted by “more than
half and is currently almost 70 percent below the volume that would usually be
expected,” the Germany-based IfW Kiel institute said today.

“As a result, freight costs and transportation time in goods traffic between
East Asia and Europe have risen,” the report added.

As a result of the attacks, shipping giants such as Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd have
been sending their vessels on longer, more expensive journeys around South
Africa’s Cape of Good Hope. “The time it takes to transport goods between Asian
production centers and European consumers is significantly extended by up to 20
days,” said Julian Hinz, director of the IfW Kiel’s trade policy research
center.


323d ago / 12:46 PM GMT+1
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SOUTH AFRICA LIKENS GAZA TO A CONCENTRATION CAMP AS CASE RESUMES

Alexander Smith

After a short break, South Africa's genocide case against Israel in The Hague
has resumed.

Max Du Plessis, a lawyer on South Africa's team, is telling the court:
“Palestinians in Gaza — as a very substantial and important part of the
Palestinian national, racial and ethnical group — simply but profoundly have a
right to exist.”

Lawyer John Dugard, a former U.N. special rapporteur and ad hoc judge on the
court, quoted his country’s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, who said in November
that “Israel turned Gaza into a concentration camp where a genocide is taking
place.”

Such comparisons of Israel’s war in Gaza to Nazi concentration camps on a world
stage are likely to stir strong feeling in Israel. The country's government has
accused South Africa of "blood libel" over the case.



323d ago / 12:31 PM GMT+1
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WHO ARE THE JUDGES HEARING ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE CASE?

Alexander Smith

The case at the ICJ is being heard by 15 judges, led by its American president,
Joan E. Donoghue, and Russian vice-president, Kirill Gevorgian. The other
nationalities are: Chinese, Indian, French, German, Japanese, Australian,
Brazilian, Moroccan, Lebanese, Slovakian, Somalian, Ugandan and Jamaican.

President Joan Donoghue, center, and other judges in the International Court of
Justice take their seats at the Hague court today.Remko De Waal / AFP - Getty
Images

In ICJ cases where parties to the case do not have judges on the bench, they may
appoint what’s known as “ad hoc” justices.

For this, Israel has picked Aharon Barak, former president of its supreme court,
and South Africa chose Dikgang Moseneke, its former deputy chief justice, both
of whom were sworn in at the start of the hearing this morning.


323d ago / 12:25 PM GMT+1
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TANKER IN GULF OF OMAN BOARDED BY MEN IN MILITARY UNIFORMS

Associated Press

An oil tanker once at the center of a crisis between Iran and the United States
was boarded in the Gulf of Oman by “unauthorized” men in military uniforms early
this morning, an advisory group run by the British military and a private
security firm warned.

Details remained unclear in what was apparently the latest seizure of a vessel
in the tense Middle East waterways. However, suspicion immediately fell on Iran
as the ship was once known as the Suez Rajan and had been involved in a yearlong
dispute that ultimately saw the U.S. Justice Department seize 1 million barrels
of Iranian crude oil on it.

The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which provides
warnings to sailors in the Middle East, said today’s apparent seizure began
early in the morning, in the waters between Oman and Iran in an area transited
by ships coming in and out of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the
Persian Gulf through which a fifth of all oil traded passes.

The private security firm Ambrey said that “four to five armed persons” boarded
the ship, which it identified as the oil tanker St. Nikolas. It said that the
men had covered the surveillance cameras as they boarded.

The tanker had been off the city of Basra, Iraq, loading crude oil bound for
Aliaga, Turkey, for the Turkish refinery firm Tupras. Satellite-tracking data
analyzed by The Associated Press last showed the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker
had turned and headed toward the port of Bandar-e Jask in Iran.


323d ago / 12:21 PM GMT+1
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ISRAEL CALLS SOUTH AFRICA'S ICJ GENOCIDE CASE 'DISGRACEFUL'

Alexander Smith

While South Africa has been making its case at the International Court of
Justice, the Israeli government has continued outlining its pushback on social
media ahead of its courtroom defense tomorrow.

“Instead of holding Hamas, a genocidal terror organization, responsible for its
horrific actions, Hamas’ allies are engaging in victim blaming at the
International Court of Justice,” Israel’s official X account wrote, calling it
“disgraceful.”

It also documented on social media a march toward the court, in the Dutch city
of The Hague, by family members of those kidnapped during Hamas' Oct. 7 attack
on Israel.

South Africa has denied being an "ally" of Hamas, and "unequivocally" condemned
its October attack during its legal filing and oral arguments.


323d ago / 12:00 PM GMT+1
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GENOCIDE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST ISRAEL ARE 'UNFOUNDED,' U.S. SAYS

Alexander Smith

The State Department has said accusations that Israel is committing genocide are
“unfounded.”

The United States, Israel’s closest ally and biggest financial backer,
recognizes that the International Court of Justice, where Israel will defend
itself against such allegations, “plays a vital role in the peaceful settlement
of disputes,” a State Department statement said. But it warned South Africa,
which is bringing the case against Israel, that “such allegations should only be
made with the greatest of care.”

Israel “has the right to defend itself against Hamas’ terrorist acts” and is
“operating in an exceptionally challenging environment in Gaza,” it said,
accusing Hamas and other militant groups of continuing "to openly call for the
annihilation of Israel and the mass murder of Jews."

“We have also made clear Israel must not only comply with international
humanitarian law in its operations against Hamas, but also look for more ways to
prevent civilian harm and to investigate credible allegations of violations of
international humanitarian law when they arise,” it said. “Finally, we continue
to condemn dehumanizing rhetoric on all sides.



323d ago / 11:45 AM GMT+1
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IRAN SAYS IT ARRESTED 35 PEOPLE IN RELATION TO DEADLY KERMAN ATTACKS

Reuters

Iranian authorities have arrested 35 people in relation to the Jan. 3 attacks in
the southeastern city of Kerman, the intelligence ministry said this morning,
according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

The ministry said it had identified one of the two suicide bombers as a national
of Tajikistan, who entered Iran illegally on Dec. 19.

More information will be released at a later date about the second suicide
bomber, the ministry said, adding that the arrests had been carried out in
several Iranian provinces.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack that killed nearly
100 people and wounded 284, at a memorial for top commander Qassem Soleimani.


323d ago / 11:30 AM GMT+1
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SOUTH AFRICA OUTLINES CASE THAT ISRAEL HAS 'GENOCIDAL INTENT'

Alexander Smith

Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, another lawyer in South Africa’s legal team, is now trying
to show that Israel has acted with genocidal intent — something international
law experts say is the hardest part to prove in such cases.

Ngcukaitobi is using public statements by Netanyahu and ministers in his
coalition government, as well as videos shared by Israeli soldiers from the
battlefield, which he says show this intent.

South Africa Minister of Justice Ronald Lamola, left, and Ambassador to the
Netherlands Vusimuzi Madonsela at the Hague court today.Remko De Waal / AFP -
Getty Images

“Members of the Knesset have repeatedly called for Gaza to be wiped out,
flatted, erased and crushed,” the South African lawyer said, referring to the
Israeli parliament. “They have deplored anyone feeling sorry for the uninvolved
Gazans,” saying that “the children of Gaza have brought this upon themselves,
and that there should be one sentence for everyone there: death.”

The lawyer said attempts by Netanyahu and his ministers to downplay or explain
these remarks have not lessened their impact or significance in the case. "Any
suggestion that Israeli officials did not mean what they said … should be
rejected by this court," Ngcukaitobi said. "The reiteration and repetition of
genocidal intent throughout every sphere of state in Israel" is not "out in the
fringes" he added, it is "embodied in state policy."


323d ago / 11:21 AM GMT+1
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ONLY U.N. COURT CAN 'STOP THE SUFFERING,' SOUTH AFRICA SAYS

Alexander Smith

The South African legal team is now detailing its case alleging genocide against
Israel, with senior counsel Adila Hassim imploring the judges to intervene to
stop “suffering that has become unbearable to watch.”

She told the ICJ: “Genocides are never declared in advance, but this court has
the benefit of the last 13 weeks of evidence that shows incontrovertibly a
pattern of conduct and related intention that justifies a plausible claim of
genocidal acts” by Israel.

"Every day there is mounting irreparable loss of life, property, dignity and
humanity of the Palestinian people,” she said. “Nothing will stop the suffering
except an order from this court.”

Israel will present its case tomorrow, and a ruling on whether the court will
order Israel to halt its military operation is expected to take weeks. ICJ
rulings are binding but the court has no powers to enforce them.


323d ago / 11:16 AM GMT+1
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PRO-PALESTINIAN AND PRO-ISRAELI PROTESTERS GATHER OUTSIDE ICJ

Alexander Smith

Demonstrators waving Palestinian and Israeli flags have braved freezing
temperatures to gather outside the International Court of Justice, in the Dutch
city of The Hague, where South Africa's genocide case against Israel has begun.

Robin Utrecht / AFP - Getty ImagesRobin Utrecht / AFP - Getty Images


323d ago / 11:03 AM GMT+1
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SOUTH AFRICAN MINISTER QUOTES MANDELA IN DEFENSE OF PALESTINIANS

Alexander Smith

South Africa is bringing its genocide case against Israel as a way of “extending
our hands across the miles to the people of Palestine,” South African Justice
Minister Ronald Lamola said in his opening remarks to the ICJ.

He also quoted Nelson Mandela: “We are part of a humanity,” underscoring a
perceived shared history between the Palestinian territories and South Africa,
which was under apartheid and white minority rule until 1994.



Lamola said its case was a “commitment to the people of Palestine and Israelis
alike” and said that this “did not begin on Oct 7” but that “Palestinians have
experienced systematic violence for the past 76 years” — referring to the
creation of the State of Israel in 1948.

As South Africa did in its 84-page legal filing ahead of the case, Lamola
repeated that he “unequivocally condemns Hamas” for its Oct. 7 attack on Israel
in which 1,200 people were killed and some 240 hostages seized.


323d ago / 10:58 AM GMT+1
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BLINKEN ARRIVES IN EGYPT AS HE WRAPS UP HIS MIDDLE EAST VISIT

Yuliya Talmazan

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has arrived in Cairo on the last day of his
fourth trip to the region since the Oct. 7 attacks.

Blinken will meet with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi before returning
to Washington. Egypt has played a key role as a mediator in the conflict.

Evelyn Hockstein / AFP - Getty Images

Blinken met with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas and Bahrain's King Hamad
bin Isa Al Khalifa yesterday as part of his latest diplomatic offensive in the
region.

He told NBC News in an exclusive interview earlier this week that the U.S. has
been pressing the Israelis to do "everything possible" to avoid civilian
casualties amid a growing humanitarian crisis.


323d ago / 10:47 AM GMT+1
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COURT SETS OUT SOUTH AFRICA'S CASE AGAINST ISRAEL

Alexander Smith

The judges of the ICJ are laying out the central arguments of South Africa’s
genocide case against Israel. South Africa is alleging that Israel has breached
the Genocide Convention of 1948 by:

 * Killing Palestinians in Gaza “in large numbers”
 * Trying to “bring about their destruction as a group”
 * Carrying out their mass displacement
 * Depriving them of food, water, medical care, shelter and sanitation
 * Destroying “the life of the Palestinian people in Gaza”
 * And imposing measures “intended to prevent Palestinian births”

Israel has vehemently denied all of these allegations, and will outline its
defense tomorrow.


323d ago / 10:30 AM GMT+1
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ISRAELI MILITARY REPORTS ONGOING FIGHTING IN CENTRAL, SOUTHERN GAZA

Yuliya Talmazan

The Israeli military said this morning it was carrying out operations in central
and southern Gaza, and has killed a number of what it said were "terrorist
operatives" in those areas.

In the central Al-Maghazi area, the IDF said it identified what it called "an
armed terrorist cell," which included three "terrorists" armed with assault
rifles. It said an aircraft "thwarted" them as they were exiting a tunnel shaft.

Eight "terrorist operatives" were killed by sniper fire in the area, it added.

In the southern city of Khan Younis, the IDF said it killed seven "terrorists"
and struck "terrorist infrastructure" from which it said anti-tank missiles were
fired at its troops.

NBC News could not verify the details of the report or who the targets described
by the IDF were.



323d ago / 10:14 AM GMT+1
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GENOCIDE CASE AGAINST ISRAEL BEGINS AT THE ICJ

Alexander Smith

South Africa’s case at the International Court of Justice alleging genocide
against Israel has begun. The court’s judges filed into the ICJ’s wood-paneled
Great Hall of Justice and declared the proceedings open. 

South Africa will have three hours this to present its case, while Israel will
defend itself for three hours Friday. It has denied the accusations and insists
it works hard to avoid civilian casualties in Gaza.


323d ago / 9:33 AM GMT+1
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NETANYAHU INSISTS HE HAS NO PLANS TO OCCUPY GAZA

Alexander Smith

In a rebuke against right-wing members of his own coalition government, Israel's
prime minister has said his country has no plans to occupy Gaza and replace its
Palestinian population.

The comments come after the U.S. and others criticized suggestions by some of
Netanyahu’s ministers that Gazans should be “voluntarily” resettled in other
countries to make way for Israelis. International law experts say that this
would not be voluntary if Gaza is made unlivable, warning it could constitute a
war crime.

Israeli soldiers take up positions during a ground operation in Khan Younis,
Gaza yesterday.Ohad Zwigenberg / AP

Netanyahu spoke on the eve of Israel defending itself against accusations of
genocide at the United Nations' top court, the International Court of Justice.

“I want to make a few points absolutely clear: Israel has no intention of
permanently occupying Gaza or displacing its civilian population,” Netanyahu
said in an English-language video message released last night. “Our goal is to
rid Gaza of Hamas terrorists and free our hostages," he said. "Once this is
achieved Gaza can be demilitarized and deradicalized, thereby creating a
possibility for a better future for Israel and Palestinians alike.” 


323d ago / 8:47 AM GMT+1
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FLORIDA WELCOMES STUDENTS FLEEING CAMPUS ANTISEMITISM, WITH LITTLE EVIDENCE THAT
THERE’S DEMAND

Associated Press

ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis this week directed the state’s
universities to make it easier for out-of-state students facing antisemitism and
other religious harassment in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war to transfer to
Florida campuses.

DeSantis’ directive on Tuesday piggybacks on blowback some Ivy League
leaders have faced in response to how they’re handling antisemitism and
anti-Israel protests on their campuses. The governor’s office said there has
been an increase in inquiries about transferring, without providing any numbers
to back that up.

“With leaders of so-called elite universities enabling antisemitic activities,
rather than protecting their students from threats and harassment, it is
understandable that many Jewish students are looking for alternatives and
looking to Florida,” DeSantis, who is campaigning for the 2024 GOP presidential
nomination, said in a statement.

The order referred to all students facing religious harassment, and when asked
if it included Muslims, Christians and others, a spokeswoman for the board
governing Florida’s university systems said Wednesday it covers any student
fearful of religious persecution following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel.
However, neither she nor the governor’s office said how many students had made
inquiries about transferring.

Show more

Democratic state Sen. Lori Berman said she knows of Florida students at Harvard
who are concerned about antisemitism on campus, but has also heard from a
student at the University of South Florida in Tampa, adding that antisemitism is
a problem in many places and DeSantis’ directive is doing little to prevent it.

“It’s kind of interesting that we’re offering our Florida schools when I’m not
sure that our Florida schools are any different than what’s going on elsewhere
in the nation,” said Berman, who is Jewish.

The lawmaker from South Florida also noted there have been Nazi and antisemitic
demonstrations and activities in Florida that DeSantis has said little about.

323d ago / 8:47 AM GMT+1
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ISRAEL SHOWING FEW SIGNS OF WINDING DOWN WAR IN GAZA

Keir Simmons

Israel is showing few signs of winding down the war against Hamas, whose leader
in Gaza is still at large. NBC News traveled to Beirut, Lebanon, where a senior
Hamas leader was killed in an Israeli drone strike. We spoke to a local store
owner who was working next to the apartment that was targeted, saying he never
saw anyone living there.




323d ago / 8:47 AM GMT+1
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CATCH UP WITH NBC NEWS' LATEST COVERAGE OF THE WAR

NBC News

 * Israel faces a genocide case, and comments on displacing Gazans could
   complicate its defense
 * Antisemitic incidents in the U.S. jumped 360% after Oct. 7 Hamas attack,
   advocacy group says
 * Israel has a long track record of assassinating its enemies. Will it work
   against Hamas?


NEW UPDATES
NBC News

Alexander Smith contributed.


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