The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has been asked by South Africa to order a halt to Israel’s offensive in Gaza, specifically in Rafah, in an effort to ensure the survival of the Palestinian people. This emergency measure is part of a larger case brought before the World Court accusing Israel of genocide.
Israel has strongly denied these accusations and claims that they are not violating the 1948 Genocide Convention. However, the court has previously ruled against Israel’s request to dismiss the case and has ordered them to prevent acts of genocide against the Palestinians. The court has yet to order a halt to Israeli military operations.
South Africa has requested additional emergency measures to protect the Palestinians in Rafah and has called for unimpeded access to Gaza for humanitarian aid workers, journalists, and investigators. The ICC focuses on prosecuting individuals for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide while the ICJ resolves disputes between states.
The ruling on South Africa’s request is expected on Friday as tensions continue to escalate between Israel and Palestine. In addition, the prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC), also based in The Hague, has requested arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders over alleged war crimes related to recent events in Gaza.
