South Africa asked the court to order Israel to halt its blistering air and ground offensive in an interim step. Netanyahu made clear that Israel would ignore orders to halt the fighting, potentially deepening its isolation. Israel argues that ending the war means victory for Hamas, the Islamic militant group that has ruled Gaza since 2007 and is bent on Israel's destruction. In more fallout from the war, the world court this week heard arguments on South Africa's complaint against Israel. In Gaza, where Hamas has put up stiff resistance to Israel's blistering air and ground campaign, the war continued unabated.

Source: ABC News January 14, 2024 12:49 UTC