South Africa Stands Firm: Ramaphosa Urges End to Genocide in Gaza

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. (Photo: SA Presidency TW Page)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

President Ramaphosa reaffirms South Africa’s solidarity with Palestine and calls for justness astatine the ICJ.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has highlighted Israel’s ongoing genocide of Palestinians successful the Gaza Strip successful his New Year message, calling for an contiguous ceasefire.

“As the struggle successful the Middle East continues, arsenic genocide is perpetrated against the radical of Gaza and arsenic Israeli hostages stay successful captivity, we proceed to telephone for the cessation of hostilities and the merchandise of hostages,” said Ramaphosa successful a connection issued connected Tuesday.

‘Barbaric War’ – South Africa Demands End to Israel’s War connected Gaza

“We person stood steadfast successful our enactment for the conflict of the radical of Palestine,” helium emphasized.

The president stated that conscionable arsenic South Africa had “attained our state done the enactment and solidarity of galore radical and nations astir the world, we proceed to basal successful solidarity with the victims of injustice successful different parts of the world.”

ICJ Case

South Africa filed a lawsuit of genocide against Israel astatine the International Court of Justice (ICJ) successful precocious 2023, accusing Israel of violating the 1948 Genocide Convention.

Several countries person joined the case, including Ireland, Türkiye, Nicaragua, Spain, Mexico, and Colombia.

In October, South Africa filed its memorial to the ICJ which it says contains grounds that Israel has violated the Genocide Convention successful its ongoing subject violative successful the enclave which has killed implicit 44,000 Palestinians.

‘Special Intent to Commit Genocide’ – South Africa Files Memorial successful ICJ Case against Israel

“The grounds volition amusement that undergirding Israel’s genocidal acts is the peculiar intent to perpetrate genocide, a nonaccomplishment by Israel to forestall incitement to genocide, to forestall genocide itself and its nonaccomplishment to punish those inciting and committing acts of genocide,” the country’s Presidency said successful a connection pursuing the submission.

“The glaring genocide successful Gaza is determination for each who are not blinded by prejudice to see,” the connection said.

South Africa has repeatedly called for an contiguous ceasefire arsenic good arsenic the commencement of a governmental process to guarantee a conscionable and lasting peace.

Staggering Death Toll

The ongoing Israeli battle connected the Gaza Strip, which began connected October 7, 2023, has led to a humanitarian situation of unprecedented scale. As the decease toll among besieged and starved Palestinian civilians continues to emergence daily, Israel is presently facing charges of genocide against Palestinians earlier the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Palestine Chronicle inferior analogous Hidaya Hamad asked her friends astatine a displacement campy successful confederate Gaza astir their wishes for 2025.

The children repeatedly shared the aforesaid wish: "We privation to spell home."

Please stock and amplify the voices of Gaza's children. pic.twitter.com/CcXaIzW0No

— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) December 31, 2024

According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, astatine slightest 45,541 Palestinians person been killed, and 108,338 wounded successful Israel’s ongoing genocide successful Gaza starting connected October 7, 2023. The toll is expected to emergence further, with astatine slightest 11,000 radical inactive unaccounted for, presumed dormant nether the rubble of their homes crossed Gaza.

The war, which Palestinians telephone “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood,” began aft a subject cognition carried retired by Hamas connected Israeli territory. Israel reports that 1,200 of its soldiers and civilians were killed during the archetypal onslaught connected October 7. However, Israeli media person raised concerns that a important fig of Israeli casualties were caused by ‘friendly fire’ during the assault.

Humanitarian Disaster

Human rights organizations, some Palestinian and international, person reported that the overwhelming bulk of the casualties successful Gaza are women and children. The ongoing unit has besides exacerbated an acute famine, with thousands of children among the dead, highlighting the severity of the humanitarian disaster.

Over the past 14 months, I person received hundreds of messages from household members passim the Gaza Strip. The quality of the messages often conveyed a consciousness of urgency and panic but, astatine times, contentment successful God’s will.

Read the latest editorial by Ramzy Baroud.… pic.twitter.com/IIGqlW9odB

— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) December 31, 2024

The warfare has displaced astir 2 cardinal radical from their homes crossed Gaza, with the bulk of the displaced forced into the already overcrowded confederate portion of the Strip. The colonisation successful Gaza remains trapped successful the ongoing conflict, with small entree to basal necessities specified arsenic food, water, and aesculapian care.

(The Palestine Chronicle)