Egypt has declared its formal support for South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), citing Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip. The announcement on Sunday follows accusations against Israel of engaging in “systematic practices against the Palestinian people,” which include the targeting of civilians, destruction of infrastructure, and displacement of residents, according to the Egyptian Foreign Ministry.
The Egyptian statement highlights the severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza, exacerbated by Israeli military operations, which it claims are in “flagrant violation of international law and humanitarian law.” Details on the specific nature of Egypt’s support in the litigation were not disclosed.
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This development comes after South Africa’s request on Friday for the ICJ to demand Israel immediately cease operations in Rafah and withdraw from the area. South Africa argues that Israel’s actions pose a severe threat to humanitarian aid and basic services in Gaza.
Gaza’s health authorities claim that the ongoing conflict has resulted in over 35,000 Palestinian deaths and approximately 78,700 injuries in the past seven months. In response to these events, the ICJ has issued interim and provisional measures urging Israel to halt incitements to genocide and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid and essential services to the Palestinian population in Gaza.
South Africa’s legal action, initiated in late December, charges Israel with committing genocide in Gaza, in violation of the 1948 Genocide Convention. Israel has dismissed these accusations as unfounded. This case was filed shortly after a Hamas attack on southern Israeli towns, which resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli deaths and the abduction of more than 250 people.