Israel's national airline to halt flights to South Africa

Israel's national airline El Al will stop offering flights to South Africa from the end of March, the airline said on Friday, citing reduced customer demand.

"Due to the current security situation, there has been a significant decrease in demand among Israeli travellers to various destinations, including Johannesburg in South Africa," El Al said in a statement.

"In light of this, starting at the end of March 2024, we will suspend the activity on the Johannesburg-Tel Aviv line."

The announcement comes shortly before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is due to deliver a preliminary judgement on whether to order Israel to halt its military operations in Gaza.

The hearing at the ICJ is part of a case brought by South Africa, accusing Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians.

Israel vehemently denies the accusation.

South Africa has been an outspoken supporter of the Palestinians in the ongoing conflict, resulting in tensions with Israel.