South Africa lodges complaint against Israel with the ICC

The Israeli government is accused of perpetrating genocide in Gaza by Pretoria.

Presidency Cyril Ramaphosa declared on Wednesday that, while on a two-day visit to Qatar, South Africa had requested that the Israeli government be looked into for possible war crimes in Gaza by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The allegation made against Israel, which has refused to ratify the Rome Statute, the agreement that established the International Criminal Court, was made “together with many other countries,” according to Ramaphosa, who did not name the other nations.

The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, declared last week that Bogota would ask the court to bring charges against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for “the massacre” of civilians in Gaza. Similarly, the government of Ankara has been asked by two Turkish attorneys and a former politician to bring accusations against Israel in the International Criminal Court (to which Turkey is likewise not a party).

Following a suspected 1,200-person assault into Israeli territory by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, Israel declared war on the group last month. Gaza has been under bombardment for more than a month as a result of the Israel Defence Forces’ (IDF) retaliatory actions. Over 11,200 individuals have died in the enclave since hostilities began, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry in Ramallah, while 2,700 more have been reported missing.

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Ramaphosa asserted on Wednesday that although South Africa, a country that actively defends Palestinian sovereignty, does not condone the Hamas incursion, the Israeli response amounted to genocide and should be looked into by the International Criminal Court.

The South African leader declared, “We are against the ongoing operation, especially since it is now targeting hospitals where babies, women, and the injured are dying like flies.”

“The entire world must rise and demand that the Israeli government halt its actions, declare a ceasefire, and allow the ICC to conduct an investigation. Of course, international legal action is required,” he continued.

Tuesday saw additional demands from Human Rights Watch (HRW), stating that Israel’s attacks on Gaza’s hospitals, ambulances, and medical personnel should be “investigated as war crimes.” As of November 12, the World Health Organisation reported that 137 “attacks on health care” in Gaza have claimed the lives of 521 individuals, including 16 medical professionals.

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Responding to Israel’s activities in Gaza, South Africa earlier this month called for the withdrawal of diplomats from Tel Aviv, joining Chad, Jordan, Bahrain, Honduras, Colombia, Bolivia, and Turkey.