WASHINGTON, January 6. /TASS/. The Israeli Foreign Ministry has instructed embassies to ask diplomats and politicians in various countries to support Israel in connection with South Africa's appeal to the UN International Court of Justice over Tel Aviv's actions in the Gaza Strip, the Axios news outlet reported.

South Africa demanded that Israel be recognized as a violator of the Genocide Convention in connection with the ground operation in the Palestinian enclave.

According to the news outlet, the Israeli Foreign Ministry’s actions reveal "Israel's diplomatic plan ahead of next week's hearings at the International Court of Justice." It consists of "putting international pressure on the court to avoid an injunction ordering Tel Aviv to halt its military campaign in Gaza."

According to the statement, Israel's "strategic goal" is for the court to reject the injunction request, refrain from defining Israel's actions in the enclave as genocide, and recognize that the Israeli military is operating in Gaza in accordance with international law. The Israeli Foreign Ministry declined to comment, the news outlet said.

Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7 when militants from the Gaza Strip-based radical Palestinian movement Hamas staged a surprise attack on Israeli territory from Gaza, killing residents of Israeli border settlements and taking over 240 hostages, including women, children and the elderly. Hamas described its attack as a response to the aggressive actions of Israeli authorities against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City. In response, Israel declared a total blockade of the Gaza Strip, home to 2.3 million Palestinians, and has been delivering air strikes on Gaza as well as some parts of Lebanon and Syria. Clashes are also underway in the West Bank.