The United Nations Supreme Court is expected to hear arguments from South Africa on Thursday afternoon after the country recently asked the court to issue further restrictions on Israelsays the “survival” of Palestinians in Gaza is at stake.
In a filing revealed last week by the International Court of Justice in The Hague, South Africa cited “irreparable harm” caused by Israel’s incursion into Rafah, the southernmost city in Gaza where half The population had to find refuge. The rights of Palestinians in Gaza are under threat, the dossier said, adding that Israel’s control of two major border crossings in southern Gaza poses extreme risks to the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza and the operating capacity of hospitals there.
South Africa is expected to ask the court to order Israel to immediately withdraw its troops from Rafah, “cease military attacks” and allow “unimpeded access” to officials, international investigator and journalist.
Israel has vehemently rejected South Africa’s claims, reiterating that it has placed no restrictions on the amount of aid entering the enclave. Israel also has it speak that their latest attack on eastern Rafah was a “precision operation” targeting only members of Hamas, the terrorist group that led the October 7 attacks that Israeli authorities say were killing more than 1,200 Israelis and leading to the arrest of about 250 others.
Israel is expected to enter a plea in court on Friday. Gilad Noam, Israel’s deputy attorney general in charge of international law, is among the officials in the Israeli delegation expected to address the court.
The hearings are part of South Africa’s case accusing Israel of genocide, which it filed in December. At the end of January, ICJ ordered Israel to do more to prevent acts of genocide, but it does not stop at calling for a ceasefire. The main case involving accusations of genocide is not expected to begin until next year.
UN officials and experts say Israel’s latest attack on Rafah risks plunging Gaza into further devastation, as Israel quickly closes the Kerem Shalom border crossing and takes over the Rafah crossing. . There is no humanitarian aid entering Gaza area for several days, and injured and sick Palestinians seeking medical attention were restricted from leaving.
In its latest profileSouth Africa argued that the court must supplement or update its restrictions on Israel because of changed circumstances in Rafah, where Israel had asked Palestinians to seek shelter earlier in the war. South Africa calls Rafah the “last refuge” in Gaza that has not been significantly destroyed and says the area’s remaining medical facilities are in extreme danger. evidence of mass graves at two hospitals in Gazan.
South Africa stated in its dossier: “Israel’s attack and military operations are killing the Palestinian population in Gaza, while Israel is simultaneously starving them and deliberately denying humanitarian aid and basic needs of life for them”. “The survivors are now facing imminent death and need a Court Order to ensure their survival.”
Marlise Simons And Johnatan Reiss Report contributions.
