South Africa has again approached the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to order Israel to withdraw its troops from Rafah as part of additional emergency measures over the war in Gaza.
The urgent application follows the escalation of Israel’s assault on the southern city of Rafah, home to more than 1.5 million Palestinians.
It is the last refuge in Gaza for those displaced by Israeli onslaught, and the last viable centre for public administration and the provision of basic public services, including medical care.
“The urgent application follows the escalation of Israel’s assault on Rafah, which poses extreme risk to humanitarian supplies, basic services into Gaza, the survival of the Palestinian medical system, and the very survival of Palestinians in Gaza as a group.
South Africa contends that the attack on Rafah further worsens the prevailing situation and causes irreparable harm to the rights of Palestinians in Gaza and that the situation has changed significantly since the Court’s Order of 28 March 2024,” read a statement from President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office.
According to the papers that were sent to the court on Friday, Pretoria accuses Israel of seizing key crossings, effectively controlling all movement in and out of Gaza and cutting off all critical humanitarian and medical supplies, goods, and fuel.
The latest request, which is the fourth made by South Africa for additional measures, want Israel to take measures to ensure unimpeded access to U.N. officials, humanitarian organizations, and journalists to the Gaza Strip, and to report back within one week as to how it is meeting these demands.
South Africa further requested that the Court reaffirm and seek urgent compliance by Israel with the provisional measures ordered by the Court on 26 January and 28 March 2024.
South Africa also called on the international community to pressurise Israel to withdraw from Rafah and implement the court’s provincial measures.
“We call on the international community, including the allies of the State of Israel, not to turn a blind eye to the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
The gross human rights violations perpetuated by Israel have scaled to incomprehensible levels of cruelty, hate and extreme violent oppression.
The world must do more to end the persecution of Palestinians, including that of many innocent women and children,” added the statement.
Meanwhile, addressing a United Nations Civil Society Conference in Nairobi, Kenya, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned of a dire situation in Rafah.
“I reiterate my appeal for the Government of Israel and the leadership of Hamas to demonstrate political courage and spare no effort to reach agreement to stop the bloodshed, and to free the hostages.
The situation in Rafah is on a knife’s edge, as airstrikes continue throughout southern Gaza.
Over one million Palestinians, half of whom are children, have crowded in the Rafah Governate for shelter.
We are actively engaging with all involved for the resumption of the entry of life-saving supplies, including desperately needed fuel, through the Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings,” appealed Guterres.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, more than 34 800 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed since Israel’s bombardment and ground offensives last year October.
