According to the Economist/YouGov poll, roughly equal numbers of adults believe Israel’s military campaign against Palestinians, which is estimated to have killed more than 25,000 people since 7 October, amounts to genocide: 35% say it is, 36% say it isn’t, with 29% undecided.

The ICJ case, which was heard over two days earlier this month, is seen as an important gauge of international sentiment over Israel’s campaign in Gaza.

South Africa claimed that more than 50 countries agreed with its assertion Israel had shown “chilling” and “incontrovertible” intent to commit genocide in Gaza during its military response to the Hamas attacks of 7 October.

“This court has the benefit of the past 13 weeks of evidence that shows incontrovertibly, a pattern of conduct and related intention that justifies a plausible claim of genocidal acts,” the South African lawyer Adila Hassim said.

Meanwhile, a first hearing is scheduled on Friday in a federal lawsuit brought by the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) claiming the Biden administration failed to oblige its duties under US and international law to stop Israel from killing civilians in Gaza.

The CCR lawsuit, filed in California on behalf of several Palestinian groups, asks the court to bar the US from providing weapons, money and diplomatic support to Israel.

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