South Africa says it has comprehensive forensic evidence to prove genocide committed in Gaza

By Hassan Isilow

South Africa’s Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola said Monday they have comprehensive forensic evidence that will be able to convince the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that indeed genocide was committed in Gaza.

In a media briefing in the capital Pretoria along with visiting Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha, Lamola said South Africa will submit a detailed memorial against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) later on Monday.

‘‘We will be filling the memorial today on behalf of the government of South Africa. Obviously, we can’t reveal forensic details because the court has its own rules – the memorial is confidential but it’s up to the court, if the court wants to open it up,’’ he said in response to a reporter’s question.

South Africa’s memorial contains more evidence, in “forensic detail,” to show that this is not just a plausible case of genocide, but indeed it is ‘‘genocide.”

Once the memorial is filed, the respondent (in this case, Israel) will file a counter-memorial by July 28, 2025.

South Africa filed the genocide case against Israel at the tribunal based in The Hague in late 2023, accusing Israel, which has bombed Gaza since last October, of failing to uphold its commitments under the 1948 Genocide Convention.

Several countries, including Türkiye, Nicaragua, Palestine, Spain, Mexico, Libya, and Colombia, have joined the case at ICJ, which began public hearings in January.

The top court in May ordered Israel to halt its offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. It was the third time the 15-judge panel issued preliminary orders seeking an end to deaths and destructions in the blockaded enclave, where nearly 43,000 Palestinians, mostly children and women, have been killed since Oct. 7, 2023.