South Africa says the killing of Palestinians awaiting aid in Gaza breached the World Court’s provisional orders in a legal case in which Pretoria has accused Israel of committing genocide in the coastal enclave.
Gaza health authorities said on Thursday Israeli forces had killed more than 100 Palestinians trying to reach a relief convoy.
Israel blamed most of the deaths on crowds that swarmed around aid trucks, saying most victims were trampled or run over though an Israeli official said Israeli troops had “in a limited response” later fired on crowds they felt posed a threat.
“South Africa condemns the massacre of 112 Palestinians and the injury of hundreds more as they sought life-saving aid,” the department of international relations and co-operation (Dirco) said in a statement on Friday.
“This latest atrocity is another breach of international law and in breach of the binding provisional orders of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).”
In a case brought by South Africa, the ICJ in January ordered Israel to take all measures within its power to prevent its troops committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and to report back on what steps it was taking in a month’s time.
Israel has denied allegations of genocide and said it has the right to defend itself.
Dirco said Israel had submitted a report to the ICJ, which South Africa was preparing a response to.
“An immediate and unconditional call for a ceasefire is now a moral and life-saving necessity,” it said.
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