South Africa: Israel ‘genocide’ hit ‘new and horrific stage’
South Africa accused Israel at the top UN court of stepping up what it called a “genocide” in Gaza, urging the court to order a halt to Israel’s assault on Rafah.
“South Africa had hoped, when we last appeared before this court, to halt this genocidal process to preserve Palestine and its people,” South Africa’s Ambassador to the Netherlands Vusimuzi Madonsela told the International Court of Justice.
“Instead, Israel’s genocide has continued apace and has just reached a new and horrific stage,” he added.
It was the third time the International Court of Justice (ICJ) held hearings on the conflict in Gaza since South Africa filed proceedings in December at the court, based in The Hague in the Netherlands, accusing Israel of genocide.
Madonsela also urged the panel of 15 international judges to order Israel to “totally and unconditionally withdraw” from the Gaza Strip.
On Thursday, lawyers representing Pretoria presented judges a litany of allegations against Israel, including mass graves, torture and deliberate withholding of humanitarian aid.
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday the ground assault on Rafah was a “critical” part of the army’s mission to destroy Hamas and prevent a repetition of the October 7 attack.
Netanyahu ordered the Rafah offensive in defiance of warnings from many countries across the world that more than a million civilians sheltering there could be caught in the crossfire.
In a ruling that made headlines worldwide, the ICJ in January ordered Israel to do everything in its power to prevent genocidal acts and enable humanitarian aid to Gaza.
But the court stopped short of ordering a cease-fire and South Africa’s argument is that the situation on the ground – notably the operation in the crowded city of Rafah – requires fresh ICJ action.
At least 35,303 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed in the Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip since the war broke out, according to data provided by the health ministry of Gaza.