South Africa has asked the International Court of Justice to order an immediate halt to Israel's incursion in Rafah.

It says as well as direct military attacks, Israel is ‘starving’ Palestinians in Gaza by obstructing access to food and medicines.

Israel has insisted it is acting in accordance with international law, dismissing the claims as “baseless blood libel”.

The country launched a military campaign on Gaza to destroy Hamas in response to the group's crossborder attack on southern Israel on 7 October, during which about 1,200 people were killed and 252 others were taken hostage.

More than 35,230 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory's Hamasrun health ministry.

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