Israel on Friday defended its military actions in Gaza at the International Court (ICJ) of Justice after South Africa asked judges to order it to halt operations in Rafah and completely withdraw from the Palestinian territory.

Israeli Justice Ministry official Gilad Noam called South Africa's case, which accuses Israel of violating the Genocide Convention, "completely divorced from facts and circumstances."

"There is a tragic war going on, but there is no genocide," Noam told the International Court of Justice. 

In its provisional order in the case issued in January, the ICJ acknowledged that it is plausible that some of Israel's actions violated the Genocide Convention.

Fighting raged on Friday in Gaza after Israel vowed to intensify its ground offensive in Rafah despite international concerns for the hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians in the southern city. 

(With input from agencies)