The International Court of Justice (ICJ) initiated the hearing of oral arguments from South Africa after it commenced public hearings on South Africa’s plea for additional emergency provisional measures against Israel. The request was prompted by Israeli military forays into Rafah and an evacuation order targeted at refugees decreed by Israel. During the hearing, South Africa contended that Israel’s actions equate to an act of genocide perpetrated against the Palestinian populace, urging the ICJ to bring about provisional measures aimed at safeguarding Palestinians.
Last week, South Africa filed another request for provisional measures, urging that aid workers and journalists be granted unhindered access into Gaza. As detailed in South Africa’s application, the intention of this measure is to facilitate the procurement and preservation of on-site evidence in Gaza, whilst ensuring that Israel’s military does not impede such activities.
Furthermore, the application for emergency provisional measures called on Israel to halt all operations within Rafah, which houses over a million Palestinian refugees. The application underscored the need to protect Rafah, referred to as the “last viable center” for medical care and refuge. Vusimuzi Madonsela, acting as the representative for South Africa, depicted the present circumstance during the hearing as an “ongoing genocide”. Madonsela argued that Israel’s actions, particularly the obstruction of aid into Gaza, were in breach of the binding orders issued by both the ICJ and Security Council.
In addition to the case, UN Chief António Guterres issued a warning against any potential Israeli invasion in Rafah. The World Food Program (WFP) expressed concern that further escalation in Rafah could exacerbate the already dire humanitarian crisis and stall aid operations. They highlighted the current hardship faced by Palestinians, including dwindling supplies of food and fuel along with widespread displacement.
It’s noteworthy to mention that the ICJ has approved previous requests for provisional measures made by South Africa, which are connected to South Africa’s case against Israel concerning genocide of Palestinians. The ICJ issued these requests in January and March of 2024. Israel will present its defense before the court tomorrow.