Israeli ministers dismissed Friday's ruling by the International Court of Justice ordering Israel to cease its military operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, vowing to continue fighting to free its hostages and defeat Hamas.

Friday's ruling by the World Court was the latest in a series of steps in recent weeks that have deepened Israel's international isolation over its conduct of the war in Gaza, which has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians, according to local health authorities.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office rejected the allegations in the case brought by South Africa that Israel was carrying out genocide in Gaza as "false, outrageous and morally repugnant".

"Israel is acting based on its right to defend its territory and its citizens, consistent with its moral values and in compliance with international law," it said in a statement.

It said operations in Rafah would not be conducted in a way that "may inflict on the Palestinian civilian population in Gaza conditions of life that could bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part."