In the International Court of Justice, South Africa initiated legal action against Israel, claiming that Israel's military operation in Gaza contravened the international convention on the prevention and punishment of genocide.
The deliberate and organised extermination of a specific ethnic, racial, religious, or national group is known as genocide.
Numerous things might cause this damage, such as forced displacement, mass murder, and the imposition of unfavourable living conditions that lead to a high death toll.
This convention is against the prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide. The ICJ used the term genocide" for the first time and also used it as an international legal instrument to codify the crime of genocide.
Following the horrors of World War II, it represented the determination of the global community to "never again."
The evolution of international criminal law and human rights as we know them today was greatly aided by its adoption.
Massive numbers of Palestinians, including children, have been killed in Gaza; their homes have been destroyed; and Israeli soldiers have driven them from their homes. This led to breaking the genocide convention.
It also entails the implementation of measures to prevent Palestinian births by eliminating vital health services that are required for pregnant women and their unborn children, as well as a blockade on food, water, and medical assistance to the strip.
South Africa is demanding that the ICJ act quickly to prevent Israel from committing more crimes in the Gaza Strip by issuing "provisional measures," effectively an emergency order that can be implemented even before the main case begins.
Israel has pledged to defend itself in court after criticising South Africa for initiating the action. Israeli officials claim that the case is a "blood libel" and have labelled it “preposterous."
Israel maintains that it has the right to use self-defense under international humanitarian law, citing the killing of over 23,000 civilians in Gaza as an example. We will proudly present this argument.
South Africa's legal efforts against Israel before the International Court of Justice have stirred considerable global controversy. The lawsuit centres on charges of genocide in Israel's military operations in Gaza, creating a difficult legal framework. The conclusion is significant not just for resolving the Gaza situation, but also as a key test for the "rules-based international order." The ICJ's decisions in the next months will have a significant impact on public perceptions of the international legal framework.
