Key facts
- South Africa accuses Israel of violating legally binding provisional measures issued by the ICJ.
- Pretoria stated Israel has refused to comply with three separate ICJ orders.
- The ICJ's orders aim to protect Palestinians in Gaza, including preventing genocidal acts and ceasing military operations in Rafah.
- South Africa submitted a dossier of evidence to the ICJ detailing Israel's alleged non-compliance.
- The country urged the international community to take necessary action to prevent and punish genocide.
South Africa has formally accused Israel of violating legally binding provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) aimed at protecting Palestinians in Gaza. In a statement, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) asserted that Israel's refusal to comply with three separate ICJ orders undermines the court's protective function and contributes to the destruction of the Palestinian group.
Pretoria emphasized that these measures are crucial not only for safeguarding Palestinian rights under the Genocide Convention but also for upholding the administration of justice and the legitimacy of the ICJ itself. The court's orders are binding on Israel, and South Africa maintains that the international community has a collective obligation to prevent and punish genocide.
Earlier this week, South Africa submitted a dossier of evidence to a committee of judges monitoring the ICJ's provisional measures. The three orders issued in 2024 include preventing genocidal acts, ceasing military operations in Rafah, and ensuring immediate access to humanitarian assistance in Gaza. Israel did submit reports detailing its compliance steps in February 2024.
South Africa's dossier highlighted the severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza, citing over 73,407 Palestinian deaths and 174,335 injuries since October 7, 2023, representing more than 10 percent of Gaza's population. It also noted that approximately 46,000 survivors live with severe conflict-related conditions, and that miscarriage rates have more than tripled due to trauma and dire living conditions. Palestinian rights organization Al-Haq welcomed the submission and called for additional provisional measures.
The statement further alleged that Israeli forces have arbitrarily detained and deported Palestinians to prisons where they face torture and mistreatment. Pretoria also accused Israel of attempting to suppress evidence by killing journalists and barring foreign media and investigators from Gaza. South Africa made history by filing the first genocide case against Israel at the ICJ in December 2023 and has since submitted multiple dossiers to various UN bodies.