As ICJ cases traditionally take years before a ruling is reached, South Africa has asked the Court to provisionally call for a ceasefire to appease suffering in the besieged Gaza Strip, where, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, more than 23,000 people have been killed since October.

By contrast, other nations, including Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Jordan, Malaysia, the Maldives, Turkey, Venezuela as well as the 57-country Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC), have formally backed the move.

The tight-lipped response follows the EU's efforts to tread a neutral line on the conflict, endorsing Israel's right to self-defence while calling for the protection of civilian life in Gaza and unhindered provisions of humanitarian aid.

Speaking from Israel on Thursday as the hearing took place in the Hague, Germany's Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck said: "You can criticise the Israeli army for acting too harshly in the Gaza strip, but that is not genocide."

Hungary is the only country that has explicitly condemned South Africa's ICJ case, with foreign minister Péter Szijjártó denouncing the "legal attack launched against Israel" on social media platform Facebook.

Spain, also an outspoken critic of Israel's war campaign in Gaza, has also refrained from commenting despite 250 legal experts submitting a petition calling for the government's backing on Wednesday.

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