Oral observations at the International Court of Justice sitting at Peace Palace heard from South Africa’s legal team on Thursday.
Justice Minister Ronald Lamola made opening remarks.
“This application is our commitment to Palestine. As previously mentioned, this violence and destruction did not start at October 7. They have experienced it for 76 years. Israel continues to exercise control over everything, such as power infrastructure and key government functions. South Africa has unequivocally condemns taking of hostages and Hamas attack but no armed attack can provide justification to breach of genocide convention. Israel’s retaliation has breached this.”
Last month, South Africa launched a case at the International 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. It said that "Israel has engaged in, is engaging in and risks further engaging in genocidal acts against the Palestinian people in Gaza."
In the application, South Africa continues:
“The acts in question include killing Palestinians in Gaza, causing them serious bodily and mental harm, and inflicting on them conditions of life calculated to bring about their physical destruction. The acts are all attributable to Israel, which has failed to prevent genocide and is committing genocide in manifest violation of the Genocide Convention, and which has also violated and is continuing to violate its other fundamental obligations under the Genocide Convention, including by failing to prevent or punish the direct and public incitement to genocide by senior Israeli officials and others.
Follow IOL's live coverage of the ICJ hearings here.
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