Israel on Friday rejected South Africa's launch of a genocide case against it at the International Court of Justice as a baseless blood libel with no legal merit and said it was abiding by international law in its war on Hamas in Gaza.

"South Africa is collaborating with a terrorist group that calls for Israel's destruction," a statement from the Foreign Ministry said. "The people of Gaza are not an enemy of Israel, who is making efforts to limit harm to non-combatants."