South Africa has filed a case against Israel for committing "genocidal" acts in Gaza, claiming that the country is committing genocide. South Africa, a staunch supporter of the Palestinians, has repeatedly condemned Israel since the start of the war with Gaza on 7 October. More than 22,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes since the war began, according to Gaza's health ministry, run by the Islamist group Hamas. Israel declared war on Hamas after the group led a massive attack on communities inside Israel, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 240 others back to Gaza as hostages.
South Africa's presidency stated that the country was obliged to prevent genocide from occurring. The 84-page document states that the "acts and omissions by Israel" are "genocidal in character because they are intended to bring about the destruction of a substantial part of the Palestinian national, racial, and ethnical group". South African government lawyers are preparing for the case to be heard on 11 and 12 January.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the UN's highest court and settles disputes between states and gives advisory opinions on international legal issues. Israel intends to fight the case to dispel South Africa's absurd blood libel, which refers to antisemitic false allegations against Jewish communities of bloodletting. Israel is already facing an investigation by the ICJ initiated by the Palestinians into its "prolonged occupation, settlement and annexation of... Palestinian territory."
