Pretoria – South Africa, which has joined many other countries in calling for a ceasefire, on Monday said the scale of deaths in the Gaza Strip was a direct result of the unlawful actions by Israel.
“As South Africa and the majority of countries stated at the United Nations General Assembly on 27 October 2023 Israel does not have the ‘right to defend itself’ using military means as Israel is an occupying power,” said the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) in a statement.
“This is a fact, not an allegation. It has been confirmed by the International Court of Justice.
“As the occupying power, Israel can use tools applicable to the rule of law, including policing powers to deal with criminal actions.”
The comments come after the UN adopted a resolution over the weekend on the “protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations” regarding the ongoing Israel-Gaza Conflict.
South Africa called for a rapid protection force to protect the civilian population in Palestine from further bombardment.
However, Israel argued that any ceasefire would give Hamas time to re-arm and attack Israel again, following the massacre of at least 1 400 Israeli citizens – most of them civilians – on 7 October.
More than 220 were taken hostage.
According to the latest figures released by the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah, the latest death toll in the Gaza Strip from retaliatory airstrikes by Israel had risen above 8 000.
Save the Children has reported that the number of children killed in Gaza over the last three weeks has surpassed the annual number of children killed across all the world’s conflict zones since 2019.
Since 7 October, more than 3 257 children were reported to have been killed and at least 1 000 others have been reported missing.
This includes at least 3 195 in Gaza, 33 in the West Bank and 29 in Israel.
In South Africa, DIRCO revealed: “On Sunday 29 October, members of the family of one of a senior Palestinian diplomat based in Pretoria were killed in an Israeli air strike in their apartment building in Gaza.
“Another member of the Palestinian community living in Johannesburg had 25 members of their family killed in an Israeli air strike this morning.
“South Africa extends its deepest condolences to the families of all victims.”
DIRCO added: “It is in the light of these atrocities that the unethical way the Deputy head of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies, Mr. Zev Krengel’s, commentary on South Africa’s stance on this matter should be condemned”.
Krengel has publicly lashed out at the South African government, saying he was disappointed at how little compassion it had for Jewish life.
On Friday, about an hour after Israel escalated its military operations in Gaza, the UN General Assembly, comprising 193 member states, approved a humanitarian pause with 120 countries in favor, 14 against, and 55 abstentions.
The conflict continues unabated.
.
