South Africa petitions the ICJ to mandate Israel’s exit.

South Africa has initiated proceedings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing Israel of perpetrating genocide against Palestinians amid its military operations in Gaza. The nation is now urging the court to enforce additional actions mandating the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the besieged area of Rafah.

Earlier this year, the World Court instructed Israel to refrain from any actions that could be deemed genocidal as stipulated by the Genocide Convention. It emphasized the necessity for Israeli troops to avoid committing atrocities against the Palestinian population.

In a recent filing, South Africa highlighted the dire situation in Rafah, referring to it as the “last refuge” for displaced Palestinians. Approximately 1.5 million individuals have fled to this area after being ordered to evacuate their homes by Israeli authorities.

South Africa’s appeal to the ICJ includes a demand for Israel to “immediately withdraw and halt its military operations in the Rafah governorate.” Furthermore, the country insists on granting unrestricted access to United Nations representatives, humanitarian organizations, journalists, and investigators seeking to enter Gaza.