SEAToday.com, Den Haag - Nine countries announced the formation of "The Hague Group" on Friday (1/31) to advocate for Palestinian rights.

Representatives from South Africa, Malaysia, Namibia, Colombia, Bolivia, Chile, Senegal, Honduras, and Belize gathered in The Hague for a meeting organized by Progressive International, a global political organization, to coordinate legal, diplomatic, and economic measures against Israel's violations of international law.

Following the discussion, the nine countries declared the formation of The Hague Group, which they stated was "formed out of necessity."

The group expressed mourning over the loss of lives, livelihoods, communities, and cultural heritage due to Israel's genocide in Gaza and the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

They emphasized that they refuse to "remain passive" in the face of these international crimes.

The group affirmed their "determination to uphold our obligations to end Israel’s occupation of the State of Palestine and to support the realization of the Palestinian people's inalienable right to self-determination, including the right to an independent Palestinian state."

A statement released by the group expressed their intent to support the International Criminal Court (ICC) and, in the case of member states, to comply with obligations under the Rome Statute regarding arrest warrants for Israeli officials and the enforcement of the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) interim measures.

They also aim to prevent the supply or transfer of weapons, ammunition, and related equipment to Israel in all cases where there is a clear risk that such weapons could be used to commit or facilitate violations of international humanitarian law, human rights law, or the prohibition of genocide.

The statement further noted the group's intent to prevent ships from docking at any port under their jurisdiction in cases where there is a clear risk that the vessels are transporting fuel or military weapons to Israel.

"We will take further effective measures to end Israel’s occupation of the State of Palestine and remove obstacles to the realization of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, including their right to an independent state," the statement added.

Previously, in December 2023, South Africa filed a lawsuit against Israel, accusing it of violating the Genocide Convention in relation to Palestinians in Gaza.

Several countries have since joined the case, including Nicaragua, Colombia, Cuba, Libya, Mexico, Palestine, Spain, and Turkey.

Israel’s genocidal war has killed more than 47,400 Palestinians, the majority of whom are women and children, and injured over 111,000 people since October 7, 2023.

Israel's attacks on Gaza have also left more than 11,000 people missing, caused widespread destruction, and triggered a humanitarian crisis that has claimed the lives of many elderly people and children, making it one of the worst global humanitarian disasters in history.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants in November 2024 for Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense chief Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.