JOHANNESBURG

South Africa called on the Israeli government on Wednesday to accept the ceasefire negotiated by all the relevant stakeholders.

“South Africa reiterates its calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The continued killing of Palestinians has risen exponentially and we maintain that a ceasefire is necessary to hold the humanitarian crisis,” Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola said in a news conference in the capital Pretoria.

“A joint report by a 4 member United Nations agency has confirmed our worst fears that failure to implement the provisional measures or a ceasefire obtained by South Africa at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has led to a man-made famine,” Lamola added.

He said the means necessary to sustain life in Gaza are being destroyed, which is further evidence of genocidal intent.

South Africa filed a case against Israel in late 2023 at the ICJ in The Hague, accusing it of failing to uphold its commitments under the 1948 Genocide Convention.

“We reiterate our call for the release of all hostages and political prisoners from both sides,” Lamola said.

Israel has killed nearly 63,000 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023. Israel’s full blockade of the Palestinian enclave, in place since early March, has created catastrophic conditions for the enclave’s 2.4 million residents, leading to famine, widespread disease, and the collapse of essential services.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.