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02:58

WATCH: Johannes Pleschberger reports from The Hague

After South Africa held court at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Thursday, accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza, Israeli officials responded on Friday by pointing to their right to self-defense after the Hamas attack in October.

"What Israel seeks by operating in Gaza is not to destroy a people but to protect a people," Israel's lawyer Tal Becker said before the court, insisting the Israelis "are under attack on multiple fronts."

Becker said the country is protecting people "in accordance with the law even as it faces a heartless enemy determined to use that very commitment against it."

Israel's legal team responded to South Africa's accusations at the International Court of Justice. /Remko de Waal/ANP/AFP

On Thursday, South Africa accused Israel of creating conditions in Gaza which are calculated to destroy the population. Israel says this is unfounded.

In order for the court to rule in favor of a provisional ceasefire in Gaza, South Africa does not need to prove genocide, experts say. It just needs to prove that there are acts which are capable of falling within the Genocide Convention, which is a much lower standard.

The court could decide on a ceasefire within just weeks. Such rulings, however, are not enforceable and might have little to no effect on the war.

While food, water and humanitarian assistance remain difficult to access, Palestinian officials say one percent of the Gaza population has already been killed by Israel's military.