Independent Senator David Pocock is calling on the Albanese government to publicly back legal action brought against Israel to determine if it has committed genocide in Gaza.

The senator joins Australian-Palestinians and justice advocates in urging Australia to support South Africa’s case in the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Pocock pointed to the “extraordinary scale” of human suffering and civilian deaths, many of which have been children, medical professionals and journalists. 

“I am strongly supportive of the need for a credible and robust examination of Israel’s conduct under the Genocide Convention,” he said in a statement on Thursday.

“The case South Africa has brought in the International Court of Justice provides a mechanism for this through examination to occur in accordance with international law.”

Pocock urged the government to publicly support the international justice process, and to confirm “they will comply with any ruling and support its enforcement”.

Ahead of public hearings beginning on Thursday at the UN’s highest court, Australian representative James Larsen did not mention the application and instead reaffirmed support for humanitarian pauses to allow aid in Gaza.

“Such pauses are important steps towards a permanent and sustainable ceasefire,” Larsen said on Wednesday.

Larsen also expressed concern a UN Security Council resolution which called for humanitarian pauses and corridors in Gaza had been “under-implemented” and said Australia wanted its “full and expedited delivery”.

Violence in the Gaza Strip began after Hamas, designated a terrorist group by the Australian government, attacked Israel on October 7.

More than 1200 Israelis were killed and 240 were taken hostage, according to Tel Aviv officials.

As the conflict stretches into its fourth month, Israel’s bombardment, blockade and ground invasion of Gaza has killed more than 23,000 Palestinians, put half the territory’s 2.3 million residents at risk of starvation and left most without homes, according to the local health ministry and the UN.

South Africa’s application to the ICJ asks for an urgent order declaring Tel Aviv in breach of its obligations under the 1948 Genocide Convention and ordering Israel to stop its military campaign to protect Palestinian people from further harm.

Israel’s foreign ministry has responded by blaming Hamas for the suffering of Palestinians and claiming the group was using civilians as human shields.

Malaysia, Turkey, Jordan and Bolivia have issued public statements in support of South Africa’s action.

Australia Palestine Advocacy Network president Nasser Mashni has highlighted the government’s previous support of ICJ actions and its statements on Gaza.

In September, Australia joined 31 other nations to deliver an intervention before the international court in support of Ukraine’s case against Russia, calling the latter’s invasion “illegal and immoral”.

Australia voted in favour of an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza at the UN General Assembly in December, on the same day the prime minister released a joint statement calling for a “sustainable” ceasefire.

-AAP