Israel at World Court says its actions in Gaza are "self-defense"

Israel's military actions in Gaza are acts of self-defense against Hamas and "other terrorist organisations", the legal advisor for Israel's foreign ministry said at the opening of the second day of hearings at the World Court on Friday.

The adviser, Tal Becker, said South Africa on Thursday had brought "a grossly distorted story" as it accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza in the first day of the hearings of the case it brought to the U.N.'s top court.

"If there were acts of genocide, they have been perpetrated against Israel," Becker said.