South Africa lodges ‘urgent request’ with UN court over Israel’s attack on Rafah

South Africa said it has lodged an ‘urgent request’ with the International Court of Justice to consider whether Israel’s military operations targeting the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip constitute a breach of the provisional orders the court handed down in the genocide case last month (Ariel Schalit/AP)

South Africa said it has lodged an “urgent request” with the International Court of Justice to consider whether Israel’s military operations targeting the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip constitute a breach of the provisional orders the court handed down in the genocide case last month.

South Africa made the announcement on Tuesday and said in a statement that it has asked the court in The Hague to rule whether Israel’s indication that it would launch a ground offensive in Rafah – where 1.4 million Palestinians have fled to escape fighting – represents a “further imminent breach of the rights of Palestinians in Gaza”.