South Africa on Wednesday called on Israel to accept a ceasefire negotiated by all relevant stakeholders, saying the destruction of life-sustaining infrastructure in Gaza is further evidence of genocidal intent.
“South Africa reiterates its calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The continued killing of Palestinians has risen exponentially and we maintain that a ceasefire is necessary to halt the humanitarian crisis,” Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola told reporters in Pretoria.
Lamola said a joint report by four United Nations agencies “confirmed our worst fears” that failure to implement provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) — or to secure a ceasefire — has produced a man-made famine. “The means necessary to sustain life in Gaza are being destroyed,” he added.
Pretoria filed a case against Israel at the ICJ in late 2023, alleging violations of the 1948 Genocide Convention. Lamola also renewed South Africa’s call “for the release of all hostages and political prisoners from both sides.”
Local authorities say nearly 63,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 2023. Israel’s full blockade of the enclave, in place since early March, has triggered famine, disease and the collapse of essential services for 2.4 million residents, according to humanitarian assessments. In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.