By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
South Africa has asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to order additional emergency measures against Israel over its war on Gaza.
In its application, South Africa warned that Palestinians in Gaza were facing starvation and asked the court to order that all parties cease hostilities and release all hostages and detainees.
South Africa, which filed the genocide case late last year at the International Court of Justice, said it was compelled to seek more preliminary orders “in light of the new facts and changes in the situation in Gaza — particularly the situation of widespread starvation — brought about by the continuing egregious breaches” of the convention by Israel.
At hearings in January, lawyers for Israel argued that its war in Gaza was a legitimate defense of its people and that it was Hamas militants who were guilty of genocide. The Israeli foreign ministry had no immediate comment Wednesday night to South Africa’s latest request.
While aid groups say all of Gaza is mired in a humanitarian crisis, the situation in the largely isolated north stands out. Many of the estimated 300,000 people still living there have been reduced to eating animal fodder to survive. The U.N. says that one in six children under the age of 2 in the north suffers from acute malnutrition.
“South Africa respectfully calls on this Court to act again now — before it is too late — to do what is within its power to save Palestinians in Gaza from genocidal starvation, “South Africa said in a written request.
“The threat of all-out famine has now materialised. The court needs to act now to stop the imminent tragedy by immediately and effectively ensuring that the rights it has found are threatened under the Genocide Convention are protected,” it added.
South Africa also asked to court to order that Israel take “immediate and effective measures to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance to address famine and starvation” in Gaza.
It said that the ICJ, also known as the World Court, should take these measures without scheduling a new round of hearings because of the “extreme urgency of the situation”.
The United Nations has warned that widespread famine in the Gaza Strip is “almost inevitable” without action.
Aid organisations have blamed military operations, insecurity and extensive restrictions to the delivery of essential supplies for the shortage of food in the enclave, which has been under an Israeli siege and assault since October.
The five-month war has killed more than 30,000 people in the strip, according to health officials in Gaza.
At least 20 people have died from malnutrition and starvation in Gaza since Israel launched its assault, Palestinian authorities have said.