South Africa has approached the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for additional measures against Israel, whose continued actions in the Gaza Strip it says are fuelling a catastrophic famine in the Palestinian enclave.
The application comes in response to the dire humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region, where widespread starvation has already claimed the lives of at least 15 children in the past week alone.
The Gaza Strip, a densely populated area under Israeli blockade, faces an acute shortage of food, medicine and essential services.
United Nations experts have issued a stark warning – unless immediate measures are taken, the death toll will rise exponentially.
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said South Africa approached the ICJ on Wednesday with “an urgent application for the provisional measures the court ordered on January 26 to be strengthened to prevent a catastrophic famine in the Gaza Strip.”
“The situation is urgent. South Africa has no choice but to approach the Court for the strengthening of the provisional measures in place to try prevent full-scale famine in the Gaza Strip, which experts predict could result in more than 85,000 deaths in the next six months if nothing is done,” Magwenya said.
He said South Africa’s move was informed by warnings by the UN General Assembly “and an unprecedented number of UN bodies and human rights experts that have recognised that the only way to avert such a catastrophe is by an immediate cessation of hostilities to enable full and effective delivery of humanitarian aid.”
“South Africa’s request to the court includes an order for all participants in the conflict to ensure that all fighting and hostilities come to an immediate halt, and that all States Parties to the Genocide Convention refrain from any action which might aggravate or extend the dispute or make it more difficult to resolve.”
The court had previously on January 26 ordered six provisional measures, including for Israel to refrain from acts under the Genocide Convention, prevent and punish the direct and public incitement to genocide, and take immediate and effective measures to ensure the provision of humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza.
Crucially, the ICJ also ordered Israel to preserve evidence of genocide and to submit a report to the court, within one month, of all measures taken in line with its order.
The five-month war has killed more than 30,000 people in the strip, according to health officials in Gaza.
South Africa’s bold move places diplomatic relations in the spotlight. While it demonstrates commitment to humanitarian principles, it also raises tensions with Israel and its allies – especially the United States.
Israel insists that its offensive on the Gaza Strip is justified and meant to extinguish the threat posed by Hamas militants who operate from the Palestinian enclave.
JN/APA