South Africa has launched an 'urgent request' with top UN court over Israel's targeting of Rafah
The South African government says it has lodged an “urgent request” with the U.N.’s International Court of Justice to consider whether Israel’s military operations targeting the southern Gaza city of Rafah are a breach of provisional orders the court handed down last month in a case alleging genocide
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — South Africa's government said Tuesday it had lodged an “urgent request” with the U.N.'s International Court of Justice to consider whether Israel’s military operations targeting the southern Gaza city of Rafah are a breach of provisional orders the court handed down last month in a case alleging genocide.
South Africa has asked the court to weigh whether Israel’s intention to launch a ground offensive in Rafah — where 1.4 million Palestinians have fled in an attempt to escape fighting — represents a “further imminent breach of the rights of Palestinians in Gaza."
Israel has already launched a series of strikes on the city on the border with Egypt, which along with other regional neighbors has warned that an offensive on Rafah would bring disaster.
South Africa alleges Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people in its war against the Hamas militant group in the Gaza Strip and lodged a case with the world court. The court handed down a preliminary ruling last month.
