ICJ extends deadline for Israeli response, confirming i24NEWS report
Israel will now have until January 12, 2026, before responding to the evidence presented by South Africa
The International Court of Justice on Thursday confirmed an i24NEWS exclusive report that it would extend the deadline for Israel's response by six months, after evidence presented by South Africa alleging Israel's genocidal actions in the Gaza Strip were not available to review by Israel's legal team in time.
Israel will now have until January 12, 2026, before responding to the evidence presented. Two Western diplomats told i24NEWS on Wednesday that South Africa submitted the evidence without allowing Israel's legal team to access it. This constitutes a serious disregard for legal norms.
South Africa was supposed to submit evidence by last autumn, although procedural objections delayed this.
The ICJ case deals with disputes between states, and is separate from the International Criminal Court (ICC), where a separate decision is awaited on Israel’s appeal against potential arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant.
The ICC demanded Hungary justify why it did not arrest Netanyahu during his visit to Budapest earlier this month. Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban said he intended to withdraw his country from the court's jurisdiction and the Rome Statute that founded the court.