The World Court asked to order additional emergency measures before an attack on Gaza City filled with displaced people.
South Africa says it has asked the World Court to examine whether Israel’s plan to extend its offensive in the Gaza Strip to Rafah, a densely populated southern city, requires additional emergency measures to protect the Palestinians.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) last month ordered Israel to take all measures in its power to prevent its troops from committing genocide against Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip, in a case brought by South Africa. South.
Israel has denied all allegations of genocide linked to its attack on Gaza and asked the court to categorically dismiss the case, saying it respects international law and has the right to defend itself against Hamas, the group that governs Gaza. .
The South African government has made an urgent request to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to examine whether Israel’s announced decision to expand its military operations in Rafah, the last refuge for survivors in Gaza, requires that the Court uses…
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Israel said it planned to expand its ground attack to Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians have sought refuge from the offensive that has ravaged much of the enclave since Hamas fighters attacked Israel on October 7.
“In a petition submitted to the court yesterday (Monday), the South African government expressed grave concern that the unprecedented military offensive against Rafah, announced by the State of Israel, has already led and will lead to new large-scale attacks. killings, harm and destruction,” said a statement issued by the South African presidency.
“This would constitute a serious and irreparable violation of both the Genocide Convention and the Court’s January 26 order. »
There was no immediate comment from the ICJ, based in The Hague.
In past cases, the ICJ has sometimes granted additional emergency measures when circumstances on the ground have changed.
“Additional measures”
The court has yet to rule on the heart of South Africa’s case – whether genocide took place in Gaza. But it recognizes the right of Palestinians in Gaza to be protected against acts of genocide.
The court also ordered Israel to allow the arrival of much-needed humanitarian aid, including fuel.
Tel Aviv Tribune’s Fahmida Miller, reporting from Johannesburg, said questions had always been asked about whether the ICJ’s original order would be followed.
“Even though the order was given, there was always concern about follow-up and implementation and the possibility that Israel would withdraw, which we have not seen yet,” Miller said .
“South Africa claims that Israel has already breached the order issued several weeks ago and…wants the court to put in place additional measures,” she added. “South Africa is calling for a declaration that would ultimately protect Palestinian lives. »
On the day South Africa submitted its request, Israeli forces attacked 14 homes and three mosques in Rafah, killing dozens of people and forcing hundreds of displaced families to flee.
On Tuesday, Tel Aviv Tribune Arabic correspondent Ismail Abu Omar and photojournalist Ahmed Matar were injured in an Israeli drone attack in the Miraj area, north of Rafah. The area had been designated a “safe zone” by the Israeli army, prompting Palestinians from across Gaza to flee there.
The Israeli military campaign in Gaza has killed at least 28,473 people, more than 70 percent of them women and children, according to Palestinian health officials.
Around 80 percent of the population was displaced and a humanitarian catastrophe pushed more than a quarter of the population towards famine.