Top UN court will hold hearings in a case accusing Germany of facilitating Israel’s Gaza conflict

Nicaragua takes Germany to the International Court of Justice over support for Israel in the Gaza conflict

Hearing comes amid growing calls for allies to stop supplying arms to Israel, six months since start of war

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Israeli soldiers patrol in a tank near the Israel-Gaza border. Photo: Reuters

Published: 3:38am, 8 Apr 2024Updated: 3:16pm, 8 Apr 2024

Preliminary hearings open on Monday at the United Nations’ top court in a case that seeks an end of German military and other aid to Israel, based on claims that Berlin is “facilitating” acts of genocide and breaches of international law in the Israel-Gaza war.

Israel strongly denies its military campaign amounts to breaches of the Genocide Convention.

While the case brought by Nicaragua centres on Germany, it indirectly takes aim at Israel’s military campaign in Gaza following the deadly October 7 attacks when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people.

More than 33,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to the territory’s Health Ministry. Its toll does not differentiate between civilians and combatants, but it has said women and children make up most the dead.

An Israeli strike in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip. Photo: AFP

“We are calm and we will set out our legal position in court,” German Foreign Ministry spokesman Sebastian Fischer said ahead of the hearings.

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