In addition to filing the application, South Africa has requested the ICJ to indicate provisional measures to protect against severe and irreparable harm to the rights of the Palestinian people under the Genocide Convention. The goal is to ensure Israel’s compliance with its obligations under the Genocide Convention, which prohibits engaging in, preventing, and punishing genocide.
The legal action comes against the backdrop of ongoing Israeli genocide campaign on the Gaza Strip. According to local health authorities, the campaign has resulted in the murder of at least 21,600 Palestinians and the injury of 56,000.
The relentless Israeli onslaught has left Gaza in ruins, with 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure damaged or destroyed. Nearly 2 million residents face displacement, grappling with acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicines. The situation remains dire as international legal proceedings unfold.