ICJ confirms SA’s urgent request to intervene in Israel’s Rafah offensive

The Hague-based International Court of Justice (ICJ) has confirmed in a post on X it received South Africa’s urgent request to consider using its power to prevent further deaths of Palestinians in Rafah and Gaza.

On Tuesday, South Africa said it had asked the World Court to consider whether Israel’s plan to extend its offensive in Gaza into the city of Rafah requires additional emergency measures to protect Palestinians’ rights.

Ruling

The ICJ received the request, but gave no indication how, and when, it would make a decision. The Israeli foreign ministry also did not immediately respond to South Africa’s urgent request.

South Africa said it was gravely concerned that the unprecedented military offensive against Rafah, as announced by Israel, has already led to and will result in further large-scale killing, harm and destruction.”

“This would be in serious and irreparable breach both of the Genocide Convention and of the Court’s Order of Jan. 26.”

The United Nation’s top court has in the past sometimes granted additional emergency measures when circumstances on the ground changed.

The ICJ last month ordered Israel to take all measures within its power to prevent its troops from committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. The ICJ made this ruling in the case brought by South Africa calling for Israel to suspend its Gaza offensive and enable humanitarian aid to thousands of displaced Palestinians.

The court has not yet ruled on the core of the case brought by South Africa – whether genocide has occurred in Gaza.

ALSO READ: SA files urgent request to ICJ over Israel’s attacks in Rafah

Genocide

Israel denied the allegations of genocide as baseless arguing that it had a responsibility to protect all of its citizens, including those captured and held hostage by Hamas.

Israel’s military offensive in Gaza has persisted despite a the ICJ’s order to end plausible acts of genocide.

Israel’s war on Gaza — now in its 130th day — has killed at least 28 473 Palestinians and wounded 68 146 others.

ALSO READ: ANC misinterpreting ICJ ruling on Gaza to protect Hamas − SA Zionist Federation