South Africa will submit a comprehensive dossier on Monday to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), intending to substantiate claims of alleged genocide by Israel in Gaza, diplomatic sources said on Sunday.
A diplomatic source, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the detailed memorial includes forensic evidence aimed at proving Israel’s actions constitute genocide, citing further obligations under the 1948 Genocide Convention. South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola told Daily Maverick that the document offers forensic detail to support the case.
Following this submission, Israel will have until July 28 next year to file a counter-memorial.
South Africa initially lodged the genocide case in late 2023 as Israeli airstrikes escalated in Gaza. The case has since garnered support from several other countries, including Türkiye, Nicaragua, Palestine, Spain, Mexico, Libya, and Colombia.
In May, the ICJ issued an interim order demanding Israel cease its offensive in Gaza’s southern city of Rafah, which Israel ignored. This was the third intervention by the court, aimed at curbing casualties and alleviating humanitarian suffering in the besieged region, where fatalities have reportedly surpassed 44,000.