South Africa urgently requests ICJ to review Israel's Rafah operations

The South African government has urgently petitioned the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague regarding Israel's actions in Rafah, which is located in the southern Gaza Strip, according to a statement released by the presidential administration.

The statement highlights the urgency of the situation, with Pretoria requesting the global court to assess whether Israel's decision to expand military operations in Rafah, the last haven for many in Gaza, warrants the court's intervention to prevent further breaches of Palestinian rights.

The request highlights the ICJ's authority to determine if provisional measures are necessary to be implemented by any or all parties involved in the conflict, emphasising the potential for large-scale harm and destruction resulting from Israel's offensive in Rafah.

South Africa expresses grave concerns over the ongoing military offensive, citing its potential for causing significant loss of life and damage, which it believes would constitute a serious violation of both the Genocide Convention and the ICJ's previous order from January 26, 2024.

The South African government notes the need for swift action by the ICJ, given the daily toll of casualties in Gaza, and trusts that the matter will be handled with the urgency it deserves.

This petition builds upon South Africa's previous case filed on December 29, 2023, regarding Israel's alleged violation of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

The case contends that Israel's actions amount to genocide, targeting Palestinians in Gaza as part of a broader ethnic and national group.

On January 26, 2024, the ICJ ordered Israel to take all necessary measures to prevent genocide in Gaza and provide a report within a month detailing their actions.

The court has not yet ruled on the core of the case brought by South Africa- whether genocide has occurred in Gaza.

On the same day, Pretoria submitted its request, Israeli forces launched attacks on 14 residential buildings and three mosques in Rafah.

The onslaught resulted in the deaths of numerous individuals and forced hundreds of families to flee their homes, seeking refuge elsewhere.

On Tuesday, Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent Ismail Abu Omar and photojournalist Ahmed Matar were injured in an Israeli combat drone attack in the Miraj area, north of Rafah.

The area had been designated a "safe zone" by the Israeli military, causing Palestinians from across Gaza to flee there.