South Africa to ICJ: 'Israel must be stopped' in Gaza

South Africa urged the UN's top court on Thursday to order a halt to Israel's offensive on Rafah, saying attacks on the southern Gaza city "must be stopped" to ensure the survival of the Palestinian people.

South Africa's ambassador to the Netherlands, Vusimuzi Madonsela, asked judges to order Israel to "immediately, totally and unconditionally, withdraw the Israeli army from the entirety of the Gaza Strip."

South Africa urged the UN's top court on Thursday to order a halt to Israel's offensive on Rafah, saying attacks on the southern Gaza city "must be stopped" to ensure the survival of the Palestinian people.

South Africa's ambassador to the Netherlands, Vusimuzi Madonsela, asked judges to order Israel to "immediately, totally and unconditionally, withdraw the Israeli army from the entirety of the Gaza Strip."

"From the onset Israel's intent was always to destroy Palestinian life and to wipe them off the face of the earth. Rafah is the final stand," Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, one of the legal team, said.

"Israel must be stopped. South Africa is before you again today to respectfully ask the court to invoke its powers to order a remedy that will stop Israel," said Adila Hassim, another lawyer for South Africa.

Posting on social media, Israel's Foreign Ministry said, "South Africa's claims are both morally and factually distorted" and Israel's military abides by international law.

"The terrorists of Hamas are using South Africa in their attempt to exploit the International Court of Justice (ICJ)," it said.



Reuters