Preliminary hearings are set to begin on Monday at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The case seeks to end Germany's military and other aid to Israel. The claims are based on the argument that Berlin is enabling acts of genocide and breaches of international humanitarian law in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
Nicaragua alleges that by providing Israel with political, financial, and military support and by defunding the United Nations aid agency for Palestinians, UNRWA, "Germany is facilitating the commission of genocide and, in any case, has failed in its obligation to do everything possible to prevent the commission of genocide."
While the case brought by Nicaragua centers on Germany, it indirectly takes aim at Israel's military campaign in Gaza. This campaign followed the deadly October 7 attacks when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people.
According to the territory's Health Ministry, more than 33,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza. The toll doesn't differentiate between civilians and combatants, but it has said women and children make up the majority of the dead.
“Germany has breached neither the Genocide Convention nor international humanitarian law, and we will set this out in detail before the International Court of Justice,” German Foreign Ministry spokesperson Sebastian Fischer said on Friday.
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