South Africa files 750-page evidence at ICJ against Israeli genocide in Gaza

South Africa has filed a detailed submission to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) outlining evidence of Israel’s violation of the 1948 Genocide Convention during its barbarism in the besieged Gaza Strip.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the South African presidency said the evidence had been presented in more than 750 pages of text, in addition to over 4,000 pages of annexes.

The submission, also called a memorial, includes evidence of acts of genocide and genocidal intent.

"The evidence will show that undergirding Israel’s genocidal acts is the special intent to commit genocide, a failure by Israel to prevent incitement to genocide, to prevent genocide itself and its failure to punish those inciting and committing acts of genocide," the statement read.

"South Africa’s Memorial is a reminder to the global community to remember the people of Palestine, to stand in solidarity with them and to stop the catastrophe. The devastation and suffering has been possible only because despite the ICJ and numerous UN bodies’ actions and interventions, Israel has failed to comply with its international obligations.”

Elsewhere in the statement, the South African presidency said Israel has been allowed to breach international law and norms with "unprecedented impunity."

"Israel has been granted unprecedented impunity to breach international law and norms for as long as the UN Charter has been in existence. Israel’s continued shredding of international law has imperiled the institutions of global governance that were established to hold all states accountable."

Israel will have until July 2025 to submit a response to allegations that it is committing genocide against the Gazans.

South Africa brought its case before the top UN court in December 2023, accusing Israel of violating the Genocide Convention, during the Gaza aggression since October 2023. The 84-page application alleged that Israel has committed acts intended to wipe out the Palestinians.

The evidence included statements by Israeli officials expressing “genocidal intent,” and a list of how Israel's alleged actions had met the definition of genocide.

The acts include killings; causing serious bodily and mental harm; mass expulsion and displacement; and deprivation of access to adequate food, water, shelter, clothes, hygiene, and medical assistance.

ICJ orders Israel to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza

The United Nations

On January 26, the ICJ said it was plausible that Israel had breached the Genocide Convention. As an emergency measure, it ordered Israel ensure that its army refrained from genocidal acts against the Palestinians.

Several states have requested intervention in South Africa's case, including Bolivia, the Maldives, Chile, Turkey, Spain, Mexico, Libya, Colombia and Nicaragua. 

A UN inquiry recently accused Israel of committing war crimes and the crime against humanity of extermination in Gaza through its systematic attacks on the healthcare system.

The UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food Michael Fakhri said in his latest report to the General Assembly that Israel's starvation policy in Gaza meets the threshold for genocidal acts and intent.

On May 29, South Africa submitted a dossier to the UN Security Council including 120 pages of evidence of genocidal intent and incitement to commit genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza.

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