Cape Town – South Africa has returned to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) seeking urgent protection for Palestinians in Gaza amid Israel’s military assault on Rafah.
The urgent filing on Friday came in response to the escalating assault by Israel on Rafah, presenting a severe threat to humanitarian aid, essential services to Gaza, the functioning of the Palestinian medical system, and the survival of Gaza’s Palestinian population as a whole.
In a statement released by the Presidency on Saturday, President Cyril Ramaphosa emphasised South Africa’s stance that the assault on Rafah exacerbates the existing situation, inflicting irreparable harm on the rights of Palestinians in Gaza.
Ramaphosa noted significant changes in the situation since the Court’s order of March 28, 2024.
Rafah, housing 1.5 million Palestinians, serves as the final refuge for those displaced by Israeli actions in Gaza. It stands as the last functional hub for public administration and the delivery of essential services, including medical assistance.
“Since the start of the military action in Rafah, Israel has seized control of both the Rafah and Kerem Shalom (Karem Abu Salem) crossings, effectively controlling all movement in and out of Gaza, and cutting off all critical humanitarian and medical supplies, goods and fuel.
“Israel has further prevented medical evacuations and has treated evacuation zones as extermination zones, as evidenced with the destruction of hospitals in Gaza and discovery of mass graves in other major health care facilities in the Strip,” Ramaphosa said.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
