ICJ points to new precautionary measures in genocide proceedings against Israel

AA / London / Burak Bir

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Thursday indicated, at the request of South Africa, additional precautionary measures, including especially unhindered delivery of aid to Gaza, as part of the criminal proceedings for the genocide committed against Israel.

“The catastrophic living conditions of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have further worsened,” the ICJ decision said, citing developments since its January 26 order.

South Africa occupied the ICJ in late 2023, accusing Israel of not respecting its obligations under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide of 1948. On March 6, it requested additional precautionary measures due to the development of the situation.

The ICJ said it was indicating the new measures because the provisional measures listed in the previous order “do not fully respond to the consequences arising from the development of the situation”.

Since January 26, “the catastrophic living conditions of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have further worsened, especially given the long-term and widespread deprivation of food and other basic necessities to which Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have been subjected,” the Court said.

The ICJ upheld the previous measures and called on Israel to “take all necessary and effective measures to ensure the ‘unimpeded provision’ of basic services and humanitarian assistance urgently needed by Palestinians, including food, water, electricity, fuel, shelter, clothing, hygiene and sanitation needs, as well as medical supplies and medical care throughout the Gaza Strip, especially increasing the capacity and number of land crossings and keeping them open as long as necessary.”

He also ordered Israel to immediately ensure that its army “does not commit acts that constitute a violation of the rights of Palestinians in Gaza as a group protected by the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, in particular by preventing, by any action, the delivery of urgently needed humanitarian aid”.

Israel has been waging a deadly military offensive against the Palestinian enclave since a cross-border attack launched by the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas on Oct. 7 killed about 1,200 Israelis, according to Tel Aviv authorities.

Since then, 32,552 Palestinians have been killed and about 74,980 wounded, according to the latest report released by the Palestinian Health Authority.

The Israeli army also imposed a blockade on the Gaza Strip, exposing most of the population, especially those in the north, to starvation.

Israel’s war, now in its 174th day, has displaced 85 percent of Gaza’s population due to acute shortages of food, drinking water and medicine, while 60 percent of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the United Nations.

*Translated from English by Mourad Belhaj

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