South Africa files case at World Court accusing Israel of ‘genocidal acts’ in Gaza

South Africa launched a case on Friday at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Israel for what it said were “genocidal” acts in Gaza.

According to a statement, the ICJ application related to alleged violations by Israel of its obligations under the Genocide Convention, and said that “Israel has engaged in, is engaging in and risks further engaging in genocidal acts against the Palestinian people in Gaza.”

In The Hague application, South Africa also says that Israel has been acting “with the requisite specific intent… to destroy Palestinians in Gaza as part of the broader Palestinian national, racial and ethnical group.”

Israel rejected South Africa’s launch of the genocide case against it at the as a baseless blood libel with no legal merit and said it was abiding by international law in its war on Hamas in Gaza.

“South Africa is collaborating with a terrorist group that calls for Israel’s destruction,” a statement from the Foreign Ministry said. “The people of Gaza are not an enemy of Israel, who is making efforts to limit harm to non-combatants.”

The International Court of Justice, commonly known as the World Court, is the United Nations’ court for resolving conflicts between states.

The war started by the attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7 is nearing its twelfth week, with vast areas of northern Gaza in ruins and Israeli airstrikes and ground combat focusing on central and southern districts.

Gunmen of Hamas launched an attack on October 7 that left about 1,140 people dead, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.

The Palestinian militants also took about 250 people hostage — more than half of whom remain captive inside the war zone, some of them believed dead.

Israel’s relentless military campaign since then has killed at least 21,507 people, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza.