Last night South Africa launched a case at the United Nations’ top court accusing Israel of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, prompting a furious reaction from Israel.
South Africa’s submission filed yesterday at the International Court of justice alleges that “acts and omissions by Israel … are genocidal in character” as they are committed with the intent “to destroy Palestinians in Gaza as a part of the broader Palestinian national, racial and ethnical group”.
It also asks the Hague-based court to issue an interim order for Israel to immediately suspend its military operations in Gaza.
Israel rejected South Africa’s case as a baseless blood libel with no legal merit and said it was abiding by international law in its war on Hamas.
“South Africa is collaborating with a terrorist group that calls for Israel’s destruction,” the foreign ministry said. “The people of Gaza are not an enemy of Israel, who is making efforts to limit harm to non-combatants.”
The UN’s humanitarian office said yesterday that over the past few days, an estimated 100,000 people had arrived in Rafah, Gaza’s southernmost town on the border with Egypt, after an intense new ground and aerial offensive around the central town of Deir al-Balah and the southern town of Khan Younis.
The areas had previously been designated by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) as “safe zones” where civilians could shelter. Many of those who arrived in Rafah had already been displaced from their homes at least once. Israeli shelling of the area around al-Amal hospital in Khan Younis had killed 41 people over the past two days, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said.
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