The Hague, MINA – The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has granted Israel an additional two-month extension to submit its written response in the ongoing genocide case brought by South Africa concerning the war in Gaza.
According to an order dated October 20, ICJ President Judge Yuji Iwasawa extended the deadline for Israel’s Counter-Memorial, its formal written defense to March 12, 2026.
The decision follows Israel’s request for more time, citing unresolved evidentiary issues and its involvement in related UN proceedings. Israel argued that some of South Africa’s referenced documents were accessible only through hyperlinks rather than being part of the official record, complicating their assessment.
Israel also pointed to its significant engagement in separate ICJ proceedings related to a UN General Assembly request for an advisory opinion on the occupied Palestinian territories.
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Initially, the ICJ had set October 28, 2024, as the deadline for South Africa’s submissions and July 28, 2025, for Israel’s counter-arguments. While South Africa met its deadline, Israel requested an extension in April 2025, which was partially granted—moving its due date to January 12, 2026.
On October 14, 2025, Israel requested another extension of at least five months. South Africa opposed the move, warning that further delays would undermine the urgency of the proceedings and disrupt procedural fairness.
Despite these objections, the ICJ stated that it had considered both parties’ positions before granting the request. The court noted that the subsequent steps in the case would be determined later.
Since October 2023, Israel’s military aggressions in Gaza have reportedly killed more than 68,200 people and injured over 170,300, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.[]
Also Read: Trump: Israel ‘Not Going to Do Anything with West Bank’ After Annexation Vote
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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