TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) Fighting human animals. Making Gaza a slaughterhouse. Erasing the Gaza Strip from the face of the earth.

Such inflammatory rhetoric is a key component of South Africas case accusing Israel of genocide at the U.N. world court, a charge that Israel denies . South Africa says the language in comments by Israeli leaders, soldiers and entertainers about Palestinians in Gaza since Hamas Oct. 7 attack sparked war is proof of Israels intent to commit genocide.

Israeli leaders have downplayed the comments, and some in Israel say theyre a result of the trauma from Hamas attack.

Rights groups and activists say theyre an inevitable byproduct of Israels decades-old, open-ended rule over the Palestinians and that theyve intensified during the war . They say such language has been left unchecked, inciting violence and dehumanizing Palestinians.

Words lead to deeds, said Michael Sfard, a prominent Israeli lawyer. Words that normalize or legitimize serious crimes against civilians create the social, political and moral basis for other people to do things like that.

The genocide case against Israel opened last week at the International Court of Justice at The Hague. South Africa is looking to prove that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza and that Israel has specific intent to commit genocide. It is using the litany of harsh statements as part of the evidence in its case.