South Africa
By Lerato Mpembe
South Africa has intensified its legal campaign against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing the Israeli government of deliberately starving Palestinians in Gaza and obstructing humanitarian aid, actions Pretoria argues violate international law and Israel’s obligations as an occupying power.
Speaking at the ICJ in The Hague on Tuesday, 29 April 2025, South Africa’s Director-General of International Relations and Cooperation, Zane Dangor, asserted that Israel is using starvation as a method of warfare against the Palestinian population. He stated that the international community cannot accept a reality where “an entire civil population is deliberately starved by Israel,” and where United Nations agencies are evicted and deprived of their immunities and privileges.
The hearings at the ICJ are part of advisory proceedings initiated by the UN General Assembly, seeking the court’s opinion on whether Israel’s actions in Gaza breach its obligations under international law, particularly concerning the facilitation of humanitarian aid. These proceedings are separate from the genocide case South Africa filed against Israel in December 2023.
South Africa’s legal team, including presidential legal advisor Nokukhanya Jele, argued that Israel, as an occupying power, is prohibited from subjecting the population to collective punishment. Jele emphasized that Israel is obligated to respect the lives, rights, and property of the occupied population, and that protected persons cannot be deprived in any manner whatsoever.
The ICJ’s advisory opinion, while not legally binding, carries significant moral and political weight and could influence international responses to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The court’s opinion is expected to take several months to finalize. 
Israel has declined to participate in the hearings, dismissing the proceedings as biased and politically motivated. Israeli officials have accused the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) of ties to Hamas, leading to Israel’s ban on the agency’s operations in Gaza. However, no concrete evidence has been provided to support these claims. 
The humanitarian situation in Gaza has deteriorated rapidly, with aid supplies depleted and essential services like water and electricity severely disrupted. The UN and various humanitarian organizations have reported that the blockade has led to mass starvation and deprivation among the Palestinian population.  
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