Cairo: Egypt announced its intention to intervene in support of South Africa's case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Sunday.
This decision comes amid escalating tensions between Israel and Hamas, particularly in light of Israel's recent military operation in the border town of Rafah, which has strained long-standing agreements and security cooperation.
"The announcement of the intervention in this case comes in light of the expansion in scope and scale of Israeli violations against civilians in Gaza," stated the Egyptian foreign ministry. However, the specifics of Egypt's intervention were not disclosed. Egypt has previously presented arguments in the case.
South Africa initiated the case on Friday, seeking emergency measures from the ICJ to compel Israel to withdraw from Rafah as part of ongoing proceedings accusing Israel of genocide.
According to Egyptian security sources, officials from Egypt have communicated to Israel their concern that Israel's actions have contributed to the strained bilateral relations and have led to the breakdown of ceasefire talks involving delegations from Hamas, Israel, the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar, held in Cairo.
Hamas, governing Gaza, welcomed Egypt's decision to support South Africa's case at the ICJ. In a statement, they expressed appreciation for Egypt's intention to join the lawsuit filed by South Africa.
When questioned about the 1979 treaty between Egypt and Israel in the context of the Rafah operation, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry emphasized the treaty's significance in ensuring security. He noted that the treaty contains mechanisms to address any violations, although he did not provide specifics.