South Africa appears at the ICJ once more

Early Breakfast with Africa Melane

Prof Andre Thomashausen | Prof Emeritus of International Law at UNISA

Once again, all attention will be focused on South Africa this week as it heads to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague to seek emergency measures against Israel's Rafah offensive in the Middle East region.

According to a statement released by the ICJ on Tuesday, South African lawyers will present their arguments on Thursday, followed by Israel's legal team responding the following day.

Earlier this month, Pretoria lodged a petition with the ICJ for provisional measures regarding the incursion into Rafah. The request urged the court to direct Israel to immediately withdraw its military operation and ensure unimpeded access for humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Recent reports from UN agencies indicate that nearly 450,000 Palestinians have been displaced from Rafah in recent days, with around 100,000 displaced from northern Gaza. The ongoing ground fighting and heavy bombardments by Israel have affected areas like Rafah, Gaza City, Jabalia refugee camp, and Nuseirat camp.

The situation has raised concerns among various countries and top UN officials, warning of dire consequences, particularly for the thousands of refugees seeking shelter in Rafah amid precarious conditions. Israel maintains it is striving to minimize civilian casualties amidst the conflict.

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