Egypt announced Sunday its intention to officially intervene in support of the lawsuit filed by South Africa against Israel before the International Court of Justice to consider Israel’s violations of its obligations under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in Gaza.
In a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sunday, the Arab Republic of Egypt clarified that the decision to intervene in the aforementioned case comes amidst the escalation of Israeli attacks against Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip, and the perpetration of systematic practices targeting the Palestinian people, including direct attacks on civilians, destruction of infrastructure in the sector, and forcing Palestinians to flee their land. This has led to an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, creating conditions unbearable for life in Gaza, in flagrant violation of international law, international humanitarian law, and the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 regarding the protection of civilians in wartime, the statement added.
The Arab Republic of Egypt called on Israel, as the occupying power, to comply with its obligations and to implement the interim measures issued by the International Court of Justice, which demand ensuring access to humanitarian and relief assistance sufficient to meet the needs of Palestinians in Gaza, and refraining from committing any violations against the Palestinian people as a protected population according to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
Egypt reiterated its call to the Security Council and influential international parties for immediate action to cease fire in the Gaza Strip and military operations in the Palestinian city of Rafah, and to provide necessary protection for Palestinian civilians.
