South Africa accuses Israel of defying UN court’s orders as Gaza human toll mounts

South Africa formally accused Israel of failing to adhere to three legally binding orders from the International Court of Justice (ICJ), submitting an evidence dossier to the world body, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation announced Friday.

"Regrettably, Israel has not complied with the Orders," Pretoria stated in a filing Tuesday, asserting that it will continue to pursue "all avenues available" to ensure Tel Aviv's full and immediate adherence to the Genocide Convention.

South Africa warned that the rights of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip may be "destroyed before it renders its final decision," a situation it claimed threatens the "legitimacy of the ICJ itself."

The dossier notes that as of August, at least 73,407 Palestinians have been killed and 174,335 injured, representing "over 10% of the Palestinian population." The report also said that since the announcement of a "so-called 'ceasefire,'" the Israeli military has killed one Palestinian child on average every day. Additionally, the submission noted that miscarriage rates among Palestinian women have "increased more than three-fold" in 2026.

South Africa asserted that Israel has "arbitrarily detained and deported Palestinians" who were subsequently "tortured, subjected to sexual and gender-based violence, and to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment." It claimed that to prevent a record of the actions, Israel has "killed local journalists" and "prevented UN-mandated investigative bodies from entering Gaza."

South Africa genocide case against Israel at ICJ

South Africa initiated legal proceedings against Israel at the ICJ on Dec. 29, 2023, alleging violations of the 1948 Genocide Convention.

The South African government requested the ICJ to implement provisional measures citing humanitarian urgency in Gaza. The court subsequently issued three separate orders on Jan. 26, March 28 and May 24, 2024.

The rulings required Tel Aviv to take all necessary measures to prevent acts defined under the convention. The justices ordered the Israeli military to implement safeguards against genocidal acts. The court specifically demanded an end to military operations in Rafah and required Israel to provide regular reports regarding its compliance.

The ICJ serves as the principal judicial organ of the UN.