South Africa Accuses Israel of Violating ICJ Orders in Gaza Conflict

South Africa has formally accused Israel of violating legally binding provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to protect Palestinians in Gaza, calling on the international community to act against what it describes as ongoing genocide. The accusation, delivered through South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), marks the latest escalation in Pretoria’s sustained legal campaign against Israel at the global judicial body.

In a statement released by DIRCO, South Africa asserted that Israel has failed to comply with three separate provisional measures issued by the ICJ, which were designed to prevent genocidal acts, halt military operations in Rafah, and ensure immediate humanitarian access for Palestinians. The government emphasized that these orders are legally binding and serve to protect both the rights of the Palestinian people under the Genocide Convention and the integrity of the ICJ itself.

“The Provisional Measures were not only ordered to protect the rights of the Palestinian people under the Genocide Convention, they also safeguard the administration of justice and the legitimacy of the ICJ itself, by ensuring that the rights the Court is called upon to vindicate are not destroyed before it renders its final decision,” the DIRCO statement read.

Earlier this week, South Africa submitted a detailed dossier of evidence to a committee of ICJ judges tasked with monitoring compliance with the provisional measures. This submission follows Israel’s earlier reports to the court in February 2024, in which it outlined steps taken to comply with the orders. However, South Africa argues that these measures have not been effectively implemented, pointing to continued military actions and deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Gaza.

According to the dossier, as of August 2026, at least 73,407 Palestinians have been killed and 174,335 others wounded since October 7, 2023, representing more than 10 percent of Gaza’s population. The submission also highlights severe conflict-related injuries among survivors, with an estimated 46,000 Palestinians—including children—living with conditions such as amputations and traumatic brain injuries. The document further notes that since the announcement of a ceasefire, the Israeli military has continued to kill an average of one Palestinian child per day, while miscarriage rates among Palestinian women have more than tripled due to trauma and unbearable living conditions.

Palestinian human rights organization Al-Haq has welcomed South Africa’s submission, calling on the ICJ to take further action. “As the genocide continues, we call on the Court to act *proprio motu*, including through additional Provisional Measures Orders,” the organization stated.

South Africa first made legal history in December 2023 by becoming the first country to file a genocide case against Israel at the ICJ. Since then, Pretoria has repeatedly submitted evidence to various UN bodies, including the Security Council and the General Assembly, urging urgent intervention under the Genocide Convention. Its latest dossier follows previous submissions in May 2024, February 2025, September 2025, and October 2025, which focused on issues such as starvation tactics and systematic human rights abuses.

The DIRCO statement also accused Israel of suppressing evidence of alleged crimes by targeting local journalists, restricting foreign media access, and blocking UN-mandated investigative bodies from entering Gaza. It condemned what it described as Israel’s continued use of arbitrary detention, forced displacement, and systemic violence against Palestinians.

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