Turkish delegation closely follow genocide case at The Hague
Judges at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) before the hearing of the genocide case against Israel, brought by South Africa, in The Hauge, The Netherlands, Jan. 11, 2024. (EPA Photo)


A Turkish parliamentary delegation on Thursday closely followed the proceedings of South Africa's Gaza genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague.

The delegation, led the parliament's Justice Committee chief Cüneyt Yüksel, had arrived a day ahead of the hearings.

Yüksel said besides following the case over the two days the hearings are expected to last, the delegation would also hold talks with government officials, diplomats, human rights groups' representatives, and legal professionals from various parts of the world who will also be following the case.

Welcoming the case filed by South Africa, aiming for provisional measures to halt Israel's onslaught on the Gaza Strip, Yüksel said Israel has been escalating its violations of international law in Palestinian territories since Oct. 7.

He emphasized the importance of the lawsuit to stop these violations, adding that those responsible must be held accountable under international law.

Israel violated the U.N. Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide at multiple points since 1948, Yüksel added.

"Israel's killing of over 23,000 Palestinians, the majority of whom are women and children, in Gaza during this period of more than three months should not go unanswered, and those responsible must be held accountable under international law," he added.

"After the hearings for interim measures are completed on Friday, we expect the judges to announce their decisions as soon as possible and rule on the requested interim measures," he said.

Yüksel highlighted that ending Israel's attacks would be essential for achieving international peace and security.

Expressing hope that the ICJ trial will be completed as soon as possible, Yüksel highlighted Türkiye's continuous efforts since the early days after Oct. 7 both for the passage of humanitarian aid and the establishment of lasting peace.

The Turkish delegation also includes EU Joint Parliamentary Committee head Ismail Emrah Karayel and Constitutional Committee member Cahit Özkan.