South Africa has asked the International Court of Justice to order additional emergency measures against Israel, which it says is breaching the measures already in place, citing imminent widespread famine in Gaza.
In its application, South Africa warned that Palestinians in Gaza were facing starvation and asked the court to order that all parties cease hostilities and release all captives and detainees.
The South African presidency also warned that the people of Gaza cannot wait.
“The threat of all-out famine has now materialised. The court needs to act now to stop the imminent tragedy by immediately and effectively ensuring that the rights it has found are threatened under the Genocide Convention are protected,” the application added.
South Africa also asked to court to order that Israel take “immediate and effective measures to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance to address famine and starvation” in Gaza.
It said that the ICJ should take these measures without scheduling a new round of hearings because of the “extreme urgency of the situation.”
In January the World Court, as the ICJ is also known, ordered Israel to refrain from any acts that could fall under the UN’s Genocide Convention and to ensure its troops commit no genocidal acts against Palestinians, after South Africa accused Israel of state-led genocide.
In February, South Africa had lodged an “urgent request” with the ICJ to consider whether Israel’s military operations targeting Rafah breach provisional orders the court handed down on January 26.
The United Nations has warned that widespread famine in the Gaza Strip is “almost inevitable” without action.
At least 30,717 Palestinians have been killed and 72,156 wounded in Israeli attacks in Gaza since October 7.
