Belize has officially filed a declaration to join South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the court confirmed on Friday. The case, initiated by South Africa in December 2023, accuses Israel of violating the Genocide Convention in its military actions against Palestinians in Gaza.
The ICJ announced that on 30 January 2025, Belize submitted an application for permission to intervene, citing Articles 62 and 63 of the court’s statute. Several other countries, including Nicaragua, Colombia, Cuba, Libya, Mexico, Palestine, Spain, and Türkiye, have also joined the case.

Since October 7 2023, Israel’s military offensive has killed over 47,400 Palestinians—most of them women and children—and injured more than 111,000, according to reports. The ongoing bombardment has led to widespread destruction and one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent history, with thousands still missing and essential infrastructure in ruins.
In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.