Palestinians lining up for a meal in Rafah, in southern Gaza | Photo: Fatima Shbair/Associated Press
Dismissing South Africa's appeal to do so as "morally repugnant," Israel has requested the International Court of Justice (ICJ) not to grant emergency orders for it to scale up humanitarian aid to Gaza in order to address an impending famine.
Israel stated in a legal document submitted to the highest court of the United Nations it “has real concern for the humanitarian situation and innocent lives, as demonstrated by the actions it has and is taking” in Gaza.
Defence attorneys for Israel refuted allegations that the besieged enclave, where tens of thousands of Palestinians have died and starvation is on the rise, is being intentionally made to suffer a humanitarian struggle. They said that South Africa was abusing the procedure by repeatedly requesting more measures.
The document stated that the charges made by South Africa in its March 6 request for additional measures are “wholly unfounded in fact and law, morally repugnant, and represent an abuse both of the Genocide Convention and of the court itself”, Al Jazeera reported.
This latest exchange between the parties is a part of South Africa's ongoing legal lawsuit alleging that, following the Hamas strikes on Israel on October 7, Israel is responsible for state-led genocide in Gaza.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ, or World Court) issued an order in January directing Israel to ensure that its troops do not conduct acts of genocidal intent against Palestinians in Gaza and to desist from any actions that might be found violative of the Genocide Convention. The claim of genocide was rejected as baseless by Israel.
The 2.3 million residents of Gaza are reportedly receiving drastically less vital aid, according to relief organisations.