SEAToday.com, Istanbul – On Monday (10/28), South Africa presented new evidence to the United Nations International Court of Justice (ICJ) to bolster its claims of genocide by Israel against Palestinians in Gaza.

According to Anadolu, this “memorial,” as it is legally termed, includes fresh evidence that South African President Cyril Ramaphosa described as showing Israel’s “violations of the genocide convention,” through actions aimed at the “destruction of Palestinians in Gaza,” including the use of mass-destruction weaponry and restricting humanitarian aid.

The evidence indicates that Israel’s actions are directed at physically eradicating Palestinians while “disregarding and defying” earlier ICJ directives. Ramaphosa further alleged that Israel has used starvation as a weapon to cause extensive casualties and forced displacement in Gaza, referencing the extensive documentation in a report exceeding 750 pages, with over 4,000 supporting pages of annexed material. This evidence, he added, will likely remain confidential.

Ramaphosa noted that this evidence submission comes as Israel intensifies its military actions in Gaza and “appears to be extending similar campaigns into Lebanon.” He called on the global community to urgently address the escalating situation in Gaza.

According to the South African President, the documentation highlights a specific genocidal intent behind Israel's actions, with failures to prevent or penalize incitement or acts of genocide. He emphasized that the ICJ and several UN agencies have intervened, but Israel’s non-compliance with international obligations has allowed the suffering to continue.

Israel is expected to respond to this new evidence by July 28 of the coming year. South Africa’s original genocide claim against Israel was submitted to the Hague court in late 2023, asserting that Israel’s prolonged bombing of Gaza, beginning last October, breaches the 1948 Genocide Convention.

This case has since seen additional support from Turkey, Nicaragua, Palestine, Spain, Mexico, Libya, and Colombia, with open hearings commencing in January. In May, the ICJ directed Israel to cease its offensive on Rafah in southern Gaza, marking the third injunction aimed at curbing the extensive casualties and destruction in the besieged region, where an estimated 43,000 lives have been lost, the majority being women and children.