South Africa’s director general for international relations, Zane Dangor, made a powerful statement before the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of deliberately depriving the people of Gaza of humanitarian aid. He argued that this deliberate act was leading to the starvation of an entire civilian population, pushing the enclave into a collapse.
Dangor cited a 50-day blockade on aid in Gaza that aid groups and NGOs have warned is causing the region to face famine. He highlighted comments made by Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz, who stated that the government was not willing to allow aid into Gaza.
The director general emphasized that Palestinians across the Palestinian territory were being subjected to atrocity crimes, persecution, apartheid, and genocide. He stressed that under the watchful eye of the world, the international community and the International Court of Justice were being called upon to protect the fundamental rights of Palestinians, including the right to life.
South Africa was the first of about 40 countries to address the court in hearings seeking an advisory opinion on Israel’s legal obligation to allow aid to Palestinians and cooperate with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
Dangor described the attacks on the UNRWA as part of Israel’s goal to deny Palestinians the right to return to their homes from which they were displaced during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. He reiterated South Africa’s position that Israel is in breach of the UN Genocide Convention.
The court has issued interim orders, called provisional measures, instructing Israel to allow aid into Gaza and to cease its military offensive in certain areas. However, recent reports suggest that Israel may be planning to further isolate Gaza by creating a security corridor that would cut off the territory from Egypt.
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s adviser on legal and international affairs, Nokukhanya Jele, stated that Israel has blatantly ignored its binding obligations under the court’s interim orders by continuing to deny aid to Palestinians.
The hearings aim to address whether Israel acted unlawfully and breached the immunities extended to a UN entity, as outlined in a resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly. The legislation passed by the Knesset in Israel banning the UNRWA from operating in certain regions has drawn international scrutiny.
Israel has not sent a delegation to the hearings, claiming that it is not violating international law. However, representatives from Palestine and other countries have accused Israel of trapping the people of Gaza between death and displacement.
The counsel for the Palestinian state described Israel’s actions as an attempt to destroy a UN subsidiary and an attack on the international order itself. Despite Israel’s denial of wrongdoing, the international community continues to monitor the situation closely as the court deliberates on this critical issue. Amid a two-month truce that began in January, aid started to flow into Gaza to provide relief to the residents who had been affected by the ongoing conflict. However, the situation took a turn for the worse when Israel resumed its attacks on Hamas in an attempt to secure the release of hostages. This led to the imposition of the longest aid blockade yet, exacerbating the already dire humanitarian crisis in the region.
The conflict was initially sparked by Hamas’s deadly assaults on southern Israel in October 2023, leading to a series of retaliatory actions and escalations. Israeli Foreign Minister Saar condemned the court proceedings as part of a systematic persecution against Israel, further straining diplomatic relations between the two parties.
In July of the previous year, the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion declaring Israel’s claim of sovereignty over occupied Palestinian territories as a violation of international law. The adoption of two new laws in October 204 was seen as an extension of Israel’s sovereignty over the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, drawing criticism from the international community.
Legal expert Hammarskjöld argued that these actions by Israel were inconsistent with its obligations under international law. Dangor, another legal expert, highlighted the importance of the court’s jurisdiction to deliver an opinion despite Israel’s attempts to limit access to information and media coverage in Gaza.
Jele, speaking in French, emphasized that the dissolution of Palestinian institutions, including those administered by the UNRWA, was a deliberate attempt to undermine the viability of Palestinian statehood. The ongoing blockade and military actions have only served to worsen the situation for the people of Gaza, who continue to suffer amid the ongoing conflict.
As the international community grapples with finding a resolution to the conflict, it is crucial to prioritize humanitarian aid and diplomatic efforts to bring about a lasting peace in the region. The voices of those affected by the conflict must be heard, and steps must be taken to ensure the protection and well-being of all civilians caught in the crossfire.
