Uganda, May 16 -- South Africa will ask the top UN court on May 16 to order a halt to the Rafah offensive as part of its case in The Hague accusing Israel of genocide in the Gaza Strip.

The hearings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) also known as the World Court, come after South Africa last week asked for additional emergency measures to protect Rafah, a southern Gaza city where more than a million Palestinians are being sheltered.

South Africa also asked the court to order Israel to allow unimpeded access to Gaza for UN officials, organisations providing humanitarian aid, journalists and investigators.

In their submission to the ICJ, Pretoria's representatives said, "as the overwhelming evidence demonstrates, the very manne...