South Africa has made a compelling plea to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to compel Israel to withdraw from Rafah, citing the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The request for additional emergency measures stems from South Africa’s accusation of Israel committing acts of genocide against Palestinians, a case brought before the World Court earlier.
In January, the ICJ directed Israel to abstain from actions that could be construed as falling under the Genocide Convention and to ensure its military refrains from genocidal acts against Palestinians.
Israel has not yet responded to these recent developments but has previously refuted South Africa’s claims, dismissing them as unsubstantiated and branding Pretoria as Hamas’s legal arm.
South Africa’s latest filings with the ICJ seek urgent intervention amidst the ongoing military activity in Rafah, considered a vital sanctuary for Palestinians in Gaza.
The plea implores the court to mandate Israel to halt its offensive in Rafah and allow unimpeded access to Gaza for humanitarian aid organizations, U.N. officials, journalists, and investigators.
The filing argues that Israel’s military operations are not only causing casualties among Palestinians but are also exacerbating the crisis by obstructing the entry of essential humanitarian aid. According to South Africa, the survival of those in Gaza is at stake, necessitating immediate action from the ICJ.
The conflict in Gaza has already claimed nearly 35,000 lives, according to local health authorities, with hundreds more held hostage following Hamas’s initial attack on October 7, which triggered the war, as per Israeli estimates.
While the ICJ typically acts promptly on requests for emergency measures, the adjudication of the case’s merits may take considerable time. Despite the court’s decisions being legally binding, enforcement remains challenging.
