South Africa reported this Tuesday that it “urgently” requested the UN International Court of Justice (ICJ) to examine Israel's decision. to expand its military operations in the southern Gaza Strip to prevent “new violations” of the rights of the Palestinian people.
“The South African Government has urgently requested the ICJ to assess whether the decision announced by Israel to expand its military operations in Rafah, the last refuge of Gaza survivors, demands that the court use its power to prevent further and imminent violations of Palestinian rights,” The Presidency of South Africa reported in a statement.
The South African authorities indicated that, according to the ICJ regulations, The court may “at any time” assess whether the circumstances of a case “require the indication of provisional measures.” that must be adopted or complied with by some or all of the parties”.
In his request, made this Monday, The South African Government was “deeply concerned that the unprecedented military offensive against Rafah, announced by the State of Israel, has already caused, and will result in, more large-scale attacks, carnage, damage and destruction,” the statement added.
(Also read: United States and the ICC, concerned about a possible Israeli offensive against Rafah in Gaza)
South Africa said that “would constitute a serious and irreparable violation of both the Genocide Convention and the ICJ order of 26 January 2024.”
With that date, The ICJ demanded that Israel “take all measures at its disposal to prevent the commission of genocide” and “adopt immediate and effective measures” to allow humanitarian assistance access to Gaza, after South Africa sued that country on December 29 for alleged crimes of genocide during the war against the Islamist group Hamas.
The ruling, however, avoided calling for a “ceasefire” as a precautionary measure.
The South African government has historically been a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause and the ruling party, the African National Congress, has often linked that cause to its own fight against the segregationist regime of 'apartheid' (1948-1994).
(You may be interested: Prime Minister of Israel promises 'safe passage' for civilians before assault on Rafah)
The war between Israel and Hamas broke out on October 7 after an attack by the Islamist group that caused 1,200 deaths in Israeli territory and took at least 240 people hostage.
Since then, and despite growing international opposition, Israeli forces have counterattacked by air, land and sea in the Gaza Strip, where at least 28,470 people have died, including thousands of children, according to Gazan health authorities.
The city of Rafah, at the southern end of the Strip and where most of the almost two million people displaced by the war are located, It received artillery fire from the Israeli Army this Tuesday for the first time since Israel announced a ground incursion into the area last Friday.
The artillery fire against Rafah began in the morning and comes from Israeli tanks stationed in Israeli territory close to the border with the Strip, near the Kerem Shalom crossing, Gazan sources informed Efe.
In addition to this offensive, lBombing has also increased significantly in that border area with Egypt since Friday, when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced an imminent ground incursion like the one that has already occurred in the north, center and other southern parts of the Palestinian enclave, where Israeli troops have clashed hand-to-hand with militants from the Islamist group Hamas .
According to Netanyahu, “it is impossible to achieve the war objective of eliminating Hamas and leaving four battalions in Rafah,” which is why he ordered his troops to present a plan to evacuate the area and deepen the offensive.
EFE
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