Egypt Officially Backs South Africa's Genocide Case at ICJ

Egypt declared its plans to formally intervene and back South Africa's genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), as per an announcement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday, May 12th.

The ministry highlighted that Egypt's move to intervene in the legal proceedings is motivated by the intensifying gravity and extent of Israeli assaults targeting Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip.

“These attacks include deliberate targeting of civilians, infrastructure destruction, forced displacement, and creating unbearable living conditions, leading to an unprecedented humanitarian crisis in Gaza. These actions constitute a flagrant violation of international law, humanitarian law, and the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 regarding the protection of civilians during wartime,” the ministry announced.

The statement further emphasized a call for the Occupying State of Israel to adhere to its obligations outlined by the ICJ.

"This includes implementing interim measures issued by the International Court of Justice to ensure adequate access to humanitarian aid that meets the needs of Palestinians in Gaza and to refrain from committing any violations against the Palestinian people, who are protected under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide."

Additionally, the statement reiterated Egypt’s call to the UN Security Council and influential international parties to promptly intervene to halt the violations in Gaza and military operations in the Palestinian city of Rafah, and to provide necessary protection for Palestinian civilians.

South Africa's genocide case against Israel was brought before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on December 29th, 2023. Since then, the ICJ has issued six emergency measures aimed at preventing acts of genocide against Palestinians. These measures include preventing incitement to commit genocide, providing immediate humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza, and requiring Israel to submit a report detailing its implementation of preventive measures outlined by the court.