President Cyril Ramaphosa has welcomed the injunction of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for Israel to comply with the order it issued last month and warned that the situation could become more dire in Rafah if Tel Aviv does not stop its actions.
The ICJ said the situation was already perilous and Israel must implement provisional measures.
South Africa made an urgent request to the ICJ on February 12 calling for the court to use its powers to stop Israel from expanding its military operations in Rafah.
Ramaphosa had said he was concerned another incursion into Rafah would cause more harm and destruction against Palestinians.
Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said on Saturday they welcome the injunction of the ICJ that its provisional measures must be implemented by Israel.
The situation was perilous in Rafah.
Magwenya said the court was clear that any incursion into Rafah was a violation of the provisional measures.
“The court has accepted that Israel’s planned incursions in Rafah would render what is already a humanitarian disaster even more perilous. The situation requires compliance with the existing provisional measures. Compliance with the existing provisional measures requires the protection of civilians in Gaza, including Rafah.
“The court has unequivocally explained that compliance with the existing provisional measures requires Israel to ensure the safety and security of all Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Any decision by Israel to engage in military activities against Palestinians in the current circumstances in a violation of the order of the ICJ,” said Magwenya.
South Africa filed its urgent request on February 12 after the ICJ initially agreed on the provisional measures on January 26.
This followed an application by South Africa last December for the court to act against Israel’s attacks on civilians. Thousands of Palestinians have been killed in Gaza over the last few months.