Nicaragua has accused Germany of facilitating "genocide" in Gaza in a case filed at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Friday.

The Nicaraguan government said Germany provided financial and military aid to Israel and halted funding for the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).

It said because of these measures, "Germany is facilitating the commission of genocide and, in any case has failed in its obligation to do everything possible to prevent the commission of genocide."

There was no immediate comment from Berlin about the case.

What is the case about?

Germany is one of the largest arms exporters to Israel along with the United States.

Nicaragua asked the ICJ to issue emergency measures that would require Berlin to suspend its military aid to Israel.

This is in order to avoid "participation in the ongoing plausible genocide and serious breaches of international humanitarian law and other peremptory norms of general international law occurring in the Gaza Strip."

Israel has repeatedly denied accusations of genocide and human rights violations.

Germany was also among 16 countries that temporarily halted funding to UNRWA following Israeli allegations that 12 of the agency's employees were involved in the October 7 terror attacks in southern Israel, in which Hamas militants killed about 1,200 people and took about 240 more hostage.

But Nicaragua said UNRWA provides "essential support to the civilian population."

"Germany is acutely aware of the deadly consequences for the Palestinians, particularly those at present in Gaza, that will result from the suspension of funds to UNRWA," Nicaragua said in its filing.

What's next?

When emergency measures are requested, the ICJ usually sets a date for a hearing within weeks of a case being filed. Nicaragua's case builds upon a separate case filed by South Africa in December, which accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

The court ruled that Israel needs to take all possible measures to prevent genocide but did not force the country to end its military operation against Hamas militants in the enclave.

ICJ rulings are legally binding but the court has no power to enforce them.

zc/sms (Reuters, EFE, AFP)

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