South Africa has filed an urgent request with the International Court of Justice (ICJ), asking it to impose further emergency measures on Israel because of its Gaza war. South Africa petitioned the court to order that all parties cease hostilities and release all hostages and detainees, citing the threat of famine affecting Palestinians in Gaza.
As per an ICJ circular, South Africa, in its new request, stated: it is “compelled to return to the Court in light of the new facts and changes in the situation in Gaza — particularly the situation of widespread starvation — brought about by the continuing egregious breaches of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide . . . by the State of Israel . . . and its ongoing manifest violations of the provisional measures indicated by this Court on 26 January 2024."
In a statement Wednesday, the South African presidency said that the people of Gaza cannot wait. "The threat of all-out famine has now materialised. The court needs to act now to stop the imminent tragedy by immediately and effectively ensuring that the rights it has found are threatened under the Genocide Convention are protected," the South African presidency said.
It stated that due to the "extreme urgency of the situation," the International Court of Justice, often known as the World Court, should adopt these actions without holding further hearings.
According to the United Nations (UN), if nothing is done, a widespread famine in the Gaza Strip is "almost inevitable."
In January, in its ruling in South Africa's case against Israel over alleged genocidal acts in Gaza, the ICJ ordered Israel to refrain from any acts that could fall under the Genocide Convention and asked the country to ensure its troops commit no genocidal acts against Palestinians.
The ICJ is reportedly preparing to commence historic hearings on the legality of Israel's 57-year occupation of Palestinian territories.
