South Africa Says Israel 'Acts With Impunity' In Gaza As U.N. Court Hearing Kicks Off | rssama.com

South African officials said Tuesday that Israel “acts pinch impunity” successful now-flattened Gaza, arsenic nan United Nations’ apical tribunal kicked disconnected hearings successful nan lawsuit accusing Israel of violating world rule by continuing to artifact Palestinians from receiving life-saving humanitarian aid.

The International Court of Justice is expected to perceive arguments this week from at slightest 40 countries astir whether Israel has grounded to transportation retired its obligations arsenic some an occupying powerfulness and a U.N. personnel authorities by refusing to let and facilitate humanitarian assistance successful war-torn Gaza. The U.N. General Assembly asked nan ICJ past twelvemonth to present an advisory sentiment connected nan matter, which grew much urgent after Israel blocked each assistance from entering nan territory successful March.

“Israel continues to enactment pinch impunity, arsenic it does bask immoderate shape of exceptionalism from accountability to world rule and norms,” South Africa’s typical Zane Dangor said Tuesday earlier nan court. “Conversely, immoderate personification aliases entity which seeks to clasp Israel to relationship for its inhumane and unlawful actions is subjected to countermeasures and censure, from which nan United Nations and this tribunal has not been spared.”

Representatives of South Africa be a proceeding astatine nan International Court of Justice successful The Hague, Netherlands connected April 29, 2025. The ICJ is proceeding arguments from much than 40 countries astir Israel's refusal to let humanitarian assistance deliveries to Gaza.

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“Under nan world’s watchful eye, Palestinians crossed nan occupied Palestinian territories are being subjected to atrocity crimes, persecution, apartheid and genocide,” Dangor said. “While we watch, nan regard of Palestinians is directed squarely astatine nan world organization and this court, whose proposal is urgently being sought for nan protection of nan astir basal rights, including nan correct to life.”

Still, Israel denies intentionally targeting Palestinian civilians, aid workers and first responders, and maintains that Hamas is responsible for nan assistance block. The Israeli authorities has besides criticized nan U.N. — including its courts — and blocked its agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) from operating successful Gaza. Israel is not appearing astatine this week’s ICJ hearings, and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said that nan lawsuit is portion of a “systematic persecution and delegitimization” of nan country.

Displaced Palestinians person meals distributed successful nan Mawasi area of Khan Younis, Gaza, connected April 29, 2025. As Israel's relentless and devastating attacks connected nan Gaza Strip continue, Israeli policies person exacerbated nan already terrible humanitarian situation successful nan region.

Abed Rahim Khatib/Anadolu via Getty Images

The hearings began conscionable days aft nan World Food Program announced that it has officially tally retired of nutrient successful Gaza, leaving millions of already starving Palestinians pinch nary intends to provender themselves owed to nan ongoing blockade. UNRWA spokesperson Juliette Touma said nan agency has conscionable complete 5,000 assistance trucks waiting extracurricular Gaza, while nan blockade has fueled a achromatic marketplace “where prices person accrued from 10 to 20, sometimes 40 times.” Some families person resorted to burning integrative owed to nan deficiency of cooking gas, she said.

“The siege connected Gaza is nan silent slayer of children, of older people,” Touma said Tuesday successful Geneva. “Families — full families, 7 aliases 8 group — are resorting to sharing 1 tin of beans aliases peas. Imagine not having thing to provender your children. Children successful Gaza are going to furniture starving.”

The ICJ could return months to shape an advisory opinion, which is not binding but carries ineligible weight and influence, peculiarly successful world negotiations and successful nationalist opinion.

“This is not only astir humanitarian needs, but it’s astir dignity. There is an battle connected people’s dignity successful Gaza today,” Jonathan Whittall, section main of nan U.N.’s assistance coordination agency (OCHA), told reporters Saturday successful Gaza.

“Lives dangle connected nan blockade ending, assistance flowing and a ceasefire being reinstated,” he continued. “I dream that we spot existent accountability — existent accountability — earlier we spot history judge those who watched what is happening successful Gaza and did nothing.”