South Africa called military operations Israel like a “genocide” in the Gaza Stripkilling at least 26,083 civilians, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

In December, South African authorities filed an emergency appeal with the international Court of Justice (ICJ), who argues that Israel has violated the Convention on the Prevention of Genocidesigned in 1948, after the Holocaust.

During the hearings, Adila Hassim, one of South Africa’s lawyers, stated that “genocides are never declared in advance, but this court has before it the last thirteen weeks of evidence” that justifies “a credible allegation of genocidal acts.”

Israel attacks a group of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip who were waiting for humanitarian aid

The International Court of Justice, located in The Hague, could order Israel to stop its military offensivestarted after the attack by the Islamist movement Hamas on October 7 in the south of the Hebrew state, or to facilitate the arrival of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian enclave.

However, the court will not rule on the underlying question of whether Israeli operations in Gaza fall under the legal concept of genocide, a debate that could last years.

International reactions

The countries that most supported the case before the International Court of Justice were Muslim-majority countries Iran, Turkey, Jordan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia and the Maldives.

In Latin America, there is a list of countries ruled by the left, such as Brazil, Colombia, Bolivia And Venezuelaalso supported South Africa’s initiative before the International Court of Justice against Israel.

The Palestinian Authority asks the United States to recognize the Palestinian State

For his part, Mexico And Chili They turned to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate possible war crimes in the context of the conflict, both those “committed by Israelis and Palestinians,” in the words of Chilean Foreign Minister Alberto van Klaveren.

The Brazilian Luiz Inácio Lula da Silvathe most active Latin American leader when it comes to calling for a ceasefire, accused Israel of ‘terrorist acts’ and his government decided to support South Africa “in light of its flagrant violations of international humanitarian law.”

However, the case provoked strong reactions in Israel. “The world has turned upside down,” the prime minister said. Benjamin Netanyahu. “No one will stop us, not The Hague, not the axis of evil”he stated on January 14.

“If there are any acts that can be described as genocidal, they have been committed against Israel,” Israeli lawyer Tal Becker said during the hearings. (JO)