Cape town: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has confirmed that the recent ceasefire in Gaza will not deter South Africa’s pursuit of legal action against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague. Speaking before the National Council of Provinces in Cape Town, Ramaphosa emphasized that the 2023 case regarding allegations of genocide in Gaza remains active.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, Ramaphosa stated, “The peace deal that has been struck, which we welcome, will have no bearing on the case that is before the International Court of Justice.” He highlighted that Israel is required to respond to South Africa’s legal pleadings by January of the upcoming year.

South Africa initiated its complaint in December 2023, asserting that Israel’s actions in Gaza violated the Genocide Convention. The case has garnered support from several countries, including Brazil, Nicaragua, Cuba, Ireland, Colombia, Libya, Mexico, Spain, and Turkey. In October 2024, South Africa submitted an extensive 500-page legal brief to the ICJ. The hearings are anticipated to commence in 2027, with a final decision expected by late that year or early 2028.

The conflict in Gaza began in early October 2023, resulting in the deaths of nearly 68,000 Palestinians and injuries to more than 170,000 others, with thousands still unaccounted for. A ceasefire, part of a plan by US President Donald Trump, was implemented last Friday, although Hamas claimed on Wednesday that Israel has breached the truce.

Last month, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory reported that Israel had committed genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.