Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh harbors optimism that the forthcoming January 26 ruling by the United Nations International Court of Justice (ICJ) on South Africa's lawsuit against Israel will instigate immediate actions to cease Israel's military operations in the Gaza Strip.
In a statement, Shtayyeh voiced his hope that the ICJ's decision on the South African-initiated Gaza genocide case would encompass immediate measures to end Israel's 111-day genocidal war in the Gaza Strip, as reported by the Palestinian news agency WAFA.
He also anticipates the ICJ to take swift action to ensure the prompt delivery of humanitarian aid to those suffering from hunger, injury, disease, and the slow threat of death in the Gaza Strip.
"We expect the court to assume its legal and humanitarian responsibility to the international community in light of the unprecedented genocide our people have experienced since World War II. We expect the court to continue to investigate Israel's genocide against our people in the Gaza Strip," Shtayyeh concluded.
South African lawsuit
South Africa filed a lawsuit against Israel for potential violation of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide at the UN court in The Hague on December 29, 2023. The document contends that the actions of the Israeli authorities can be classified as genocide due to their specific intent "to destroy Palestinians in Gaza as part of the broader Palestinian national, racial, and ethnic group."
The South African side requested the court to implement precautionary measures to "protect the Palestinian population from further grave and irreparable violation of their rights under the genocide convention" and to ensure compliance with Israel's obligations under the convention.
The UN International Court of Justice has scheduled January 26 to announce a decision on precautionary measures in South Africa's lawsuit against Israel over possible genocide in the Gaza Strip.
Escalating situation
The situation in the Middle East escalated sharply after Hamas fighters from the Gaza Strip infiltrated into Israeli territory on October 7, 2023. The movement referred to the attack as a response to the Israeli authorities' actions against the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Israel announced a complete blockade of Gaza and began retaliatory strikes on the Strip and parts of Lebanon and Syria before announcing the start of a ground operation in the enclave. Clashes are also taking place in the West Bank.
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Based on materials from TASS