Egypt has declared its intention to formally join South Africa's case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing Israel of violating the Genocide Convention in its actions in the Gaza Strip.
The move by Egypt comes amidst escalating Israeli aggression against Palestinian civilians, according to the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday. They cite worsening severity and scope of Israeli attacks against Palestinian civilians in Gaza, including direct targeting of civilians, destruction of infrastructure, and displacement of Palestinians.
The submission … comes in light of the worsening severity and scope of Israeli attacks against Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip, and the continued perpetration of systematic practices against the Palestinian people, including direct targeting of civilians and the destruction of infrastructure in the Strip, and pushing Palestinians to flee.
South Africa initially brought the case against Israel in January, alleging genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Palestinian authorities report a death toll exceeding 35,000 from Israel’s offensive, with a significant number being women and children. This figure includes casualties from an Israeli strike in October, triggered by a Hamas attack on southern Israel, which claimed at least 1,139 lives, mostly civilians.
In January, the ICJ issued an interim ruling acknowledging a plausible risk of genocide in Gaza, ordering Israel to take provisional measures to prevent genocidal acts.
Egypt's decision to join the case aligns with similar moves by Turkey and Colombia. They emphasize Israel's obligations as an occupying power and demand compliance with ICJ provisional measures ensuring humanitarian aid access and protection of Palestinian civilians.
Legal proceedings are anticipated to be protracted. Despite the binding nature of ICJ rulings, enforcement mechanisms are limited.
Israel denies the allegations, asserting adherence to international law in Gaza. It dismisses South Africa's claim as baseless, accusing Pretoria of acting as "the legal arm of Hamas."
The legal developments coincide with Israel's recent military engagements with Hamas in northern Gaza and evacuation orders issued for tens of thousands from Rafah. The seizure of the Rafah border crossing and subsequent military actions exacerbate the humanitarian crisis.
In parallel with legal developments, recent events in Rafah underscore the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Tanks and planes reportedly targeted multiple areas and at least four houses overnight, resulting in the deaths of 20 Palestinians and injuries to several others, according to Palestinian health officials. The city, already crammed with over a million displaced Palestinians living in dire conditions, faces the looming threat of a full-scale Israeli ground assault. Despite international warnings of a humanitarian catastrophe, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has defended the offensive, citing the need to defeat Hamas. The situation has prompted a mass exodus, with approximately 110,000 Palestinians fleeing Rafah in recent days, as reported by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
International warnings highlight the catastrophic consequences of a full-scale Israeli ground assault on Rafah, emphasizing the urgent need for diplomatic resolutions to alleviate civilian suffering amid escalating conflict.
