This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service.

I'm Janet Jalil at 13 hours GMT on Friday the 17th of May,

these are our main stories.

Israel tells the UN's highest court that accusations of genocide are a

distortion of facts as it defends its military campaign in Gaza.

When dealing with the law, facts matter, calling something a genocide again and again, does not

make it genocide.

Aid starts arriving in Gaza from a temporary pier constructed by the US military,

but the UN says it's not enough for the dire humanitarian situation there

and calls for land crossings to be reopened.

The stocks of food inside Gaza are virtually consumed and it's

virtually impossible to plan an aid operation where you don't know where the

war is going next. Also in this podcast, scientists believe they've solved the mystery of how dozens of pyramids were built in Egypt. We start in the Hague where Israel has defended its military operations in Gaza at the

United Nations highest court. Israel was responding to South Africa's call for the

International Court of Justice to order a stop to Israeli military action in the

city of Raffa where many displaced Palestinians had sought shelter and across Gaza. South Africa

has also accused Israel of genocide in the Gaza war. Lawyer, Gilad Nome, told the court that

South Africa was presenting biased and false claims.

South Africa presents the court yet again with a picture that is completely divorced from the facts and circumstances.

It makes a mockery of the heinous charge of genocide.

As Israel has previously stated before this court, when dealing with the law, facts matter. Truth should matter. Words must retain their meaning. Calling something a genocide again and

again does not make it genocide. Fighting has been raging around Rafa following an Israeli operation which began around 10 days ago.

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