South Africa makes urgent request to ICJ on Israel’s Rafah offensive

The government of South Africa has asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to consider whether Israel’s plan to extend military operations in Rafah “requires that the court uses its power to prevent further imminent breach of the rights of Palestinians in Gaza”.

It said in a statement that “the Court may at any time decide to examine proprio motu whether the circumstances of the case require the indication of provisional measures which ought to be taken or complied with by any or all of the parties”.

The South African government added it was gravely concerned that the unprecedented military offensive against Rafah has already led to and will result in further large scale killing, harm and destruction, the statement said.

“This would be in serious and irreparable breach both of the Genocide Convention and of the Court’s Order of 26 January 2024. South Africa trusts this matter will receive the necessary urgency in light of the daily death toll in Gaza”, it added.