The Department of International Relations and Cooperation announced the submission Friday, saying Pretoria would continue pursuing all available avenues to ensure the Israeli regime’s full and immediate adherence to the Genocide Convention.
“Regrettably, Israel has not complied with the Orders,” Pretoria stated in a filing Tuesday.
It asserted that South Africa would continue to pursue “all avenues available” to ensure Tel Aviv’s full and immediate adherence to the Genocide Convention.
South Africa warned that the rights of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip may be “destroyed before it renders its final decision,” a situation it said threatens the “legitimacy of the ICJ itself.”
According to the dossier, as of August, at least 73,407 Palestinians have been killed and 174,335 injured, representing “over 10% of the Palestinian population.”
The report also said that since the announcement of a “so-called ‘ceasefire,’” the Israeli regime’s military has killed one Palestinian child on average every day.
Additionally, the submission noted that miscarriage rates among Palestinian women have “increased more than three-fold” in 2026.
In further accusations, South Africa said the Israeli regime has “arbitrarily detained and deported Palestinians” who were subsequently “tortured, subjected to sexual and gender-based violence, and to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.”
It further claimed that, in an effort to prevent a record of its actions, the Israeli regime has “killed local journalists” and “prevented UN-mandated investigative bodies from entering Gaza.”
South Africa’s genocide case against the Israeli regime at ICJ
South Africa initiated legal proceedings against the Israeli regime at the ICJ on Dec. 29, 2023, alleging violations of the 1948 Genocide Convention.
The South African government requested the ICJ to impose provisional measures, citing the humanitarian urgency in Gaza.
The court subsequently issued three separate orders on Jan. 26, March 28 and May 24, 2024.
The rulings required Tel Aviv to take all necessary measures to prevent acts defined under the convention.
The justices ordered the Israeli regime’s military to implement safeguards against genocidal acts.
The court specifically demanded an end to military operations in Rafah and required the Israeli regime to provide regular reports regarding its compliance.
The ICJ serves as the principal judicial organ of the UN.
