South Africa formally notified the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Friday, August 28, of its submission of an extensive dossier. This file, submitted on Tuesday, August 25, presents evidence which Pretoria asserts demonstrates Israel's failure to adhere to legally binding provisional measures issued by the court to safeguard Palestinians in Gaza.
The submission forms part of South Africa's ongoing genocide case against Israel, originally filed on December 29, 2023, under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Pretoria's latest filing details information concerning what it describes as Israel's non-compliance with three distinct sets of provisional measures the ICJ issued throughout 2024. These orders included mandates for Israel to prevent acts prohibited by the Genocide Convention and to facilitate urgently required humanitarian assistance for Gaza's Palestinian population. Additionally, in May 2024, the court specifically instructed Israel to halt its military offensive in Rafah, cautioning that conditions there could lead to the physical destruction of Palestinians.
“Regrettably, Israel has not complied with the Orders,” South Africa declared, vowing to pursue all available avenues to ensure Israel's “full and immediate compliance” with the court's rulings.
The South African government's file cites the devastating toll and deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Gaza. Since October 7, 2023, at least 73,407 Palestinians have reportedly been killed and 174,335 injured. An estimated 46,000 survivors, including children, now live with severe conflict-related injuries such as amputations, as well as brain and spinal cord trauma. Palestinians in Gaza face increasingly dire humanitarian circumstances, marked by shrinking living space and critical shortages of water, healthcare, medicines, and other essential supplies.
Pretoria also highlighted alleged violations occurring after a ceasefire agreement took effect on October 10, 2025. During this subsequent period, over 1,300 Palestinians were reportedly killed and more than 4,330 injured, with rescue teams recovering hundreds of bodies from beneath rubble.
This latest submission falls under Article 11 of the ICJ's rules, which pertains to Internal Judicial Practice and allows a committee to examine information provided by parties regarding the implementation of provisional measures. South Africa contends that Israel's alleged non-compliance undermines the protective intent of these measures and risks further irreparable harm before a final judgment can be delivered. Pretoria previously submitted evidence regarding the implementation of ICJ orders to the UN Security Council in May 2024, and again in February and September 2025. Material concerning starvation in Gaza was also presented to the UN General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council in October 2025. The overall case is anticipated to span several years. Israel has submitted its response to South Africa's case, rejecting the accusations of genocide and raising objections concerning the court's jurisdiction.
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📰 Source: Siasat Gulf