South Africa has submitted nearly 5,000 pages of documents to the International Court of Justice, accusing Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. The documents allege that Israel has a “special intent to commit genocide”. Israel has denied the allegations, calling them “blood libel”. The court has already issued three rounds of emergency measures against Israel, ordering a halt to the military offensive in Rafah and opening more land crossings for aid into Gaza. However, South Africa claims that Israel has refused to comply with the court’s orders, putting the institutions of global governance at risk. Palestine, Spain, Chile, and seven other countries have petitioned to join the case. Israel now has until July 2025 to reply to the accusations. The military action in Gaza was launched by Israel in response to an attack by Hamas-led militants in October 2023, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the abduction of 250 others. The filing of these documents comes as the situation in northern Gaza remains dire, with the U.N. reporting that at least 400,000 people are still in need of aid and hunger is rampant. The court’s decision on this case is eagerly awaited as tensions between Israel and Palestine continue to escalate.
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South Africa presents evidence to strengthen genocide accusations against Israel to ICJ | Global Affairs
