In a significant development on Tuesday, South Africa called upon the United Nations’ top court to escalate legal measures against Israel, urging a halt to the threatened offensive on the densely populated Gaza city of Rafah.
Pretoria had previously filed a complaint against Israel in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, asserting that Israel’s assault on Gaza violated the Genocide Convention. While the court is yet to rule on the main issue, on January 26, it directed Israel to take immediate action to safeguard Palestinian civilians from further harm and permit the entry of humanitarian aid.
Despite this directive, Israel’s military campaign has persisted, with preparations underway for an operation targeting Rafah, where over half of Gaza’s 2.4 million residents have sought refuge from the ongoing bombardment.
In response to these developments, South Africa has called on the ICJ to revisit its provisional measures and issue a stronger order. The South African presidency expressed grave concern over the unfolding military offensive, emphasizing that it had already resulted in significant harm and destruction, constituting a serious and irreparable breach of the Genocide Convention and the court’s January 26 order.
South Africa emphasized the urgency of the matter, pointing to the daily death toll in Gaza, and expressed trust that the issue would receive prompt attention from the international community.
As of now, the ICJ has not confirmed receiving South Africa’s request, and it is not obligated to consider it.
Israel’s Ongoing Campaign Despite Court Order
Despite the ICJ’s order on January 26, Israel’s military campaign has persisted. The country, responding to what it considers the bloodiest attack in its history by Hamas on October 7, has subjected large parts of the Gaza Strip to extensive bombing, reducing them to rubble.
The October 7 attack by Hamas resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,160 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures. In response, Israel’s military campaign, as reported by the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, has claimed the lives of over 28,473 individuals.
The situation remains tense as international attention focuses on the evolving developments and the call by South Africa for heightened legal pressure on Israel to address the ongoing crisis.
