South Africa submits its main legal claim to the top UN court which accuses Israel of genocide

South Africa has delivered a astir 5,000-page archive to nan United Nations’ apical court

THE HAGUE, Netherlands -- The South African ineligible squad delivered a astir 5,000-page archive to nan United Nations’ apical tribunal connected Monday, nan latest measurement successful a lawsuit nan state brought accusing Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians successful Gaza.

The document, which nan International Court of Justice will not make nationalist until a later shape successful nan proceedings, puts distant nan “main case” that Israel has a “special intent to perpetrate genocide,” according to a connection from South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Israel has fiercely denied nan allegations. The authorities called nan lawsuit “blood libel” erstwhile South Africa launched nan title successful Dec. 2023.

On Monday a tribunal charismatic astatine nan ICJ confirmed that they had received nan document.

The filing takes spot arsenic nan Israeli subject has called connected Palestinians to evacuate bluish Gaza, wherever it has been waging a ample violative for much than 3 weeks. The U.N. said earlier this period astatine slightest 400,000 people are still successful bluish Gaza and hunger is rampant arsenic nan magnitude of humanitarian assistance reaching nan northbound has plummeted complete nan past month.

The Hague-based tribunal has truthful acold issued 3 rounds of emergency measures, ordering Israel to halt a subject violative successful Rafah and open much onshore crossings for assistance into Gaza.

South Africa says Israel has refused to comply. “Israel’s continued shredding of world rule has imperiled nan institutions of world governance that were established to clasp each states accountable,” nan president’s connection said.

Palestine, Spain, Chile and 7 different countries person petitioned nan tribunal to subordinate nan case.

Israel now has until July 2025 to reply.

Israel launched its subject action successful Gaza aft Hamas-led militants connected Oct. 7, 2023, attacked Israel, sidesplitting immoderate 1,200 group — mostly civilians — and abducting 250 others.