The South African government has condemned Israel’s renewed aerial attacks on Gaza that have claimed hundreds of lives and shattered a truce agreed two months ago. Photo: Fadi Alwhidi/Anadolu via Getty Images
The South African government has condemned Israel’s renewed aerial attacks on Gaza that have claimed hundreds of lives and shattered a truce agreed two months ago, calling the offensive a violation of international law.
“South Africa condemns the massive Israeli airstrikes launched across Gaza on Tuesday, which have killed over 350 Palestinians,” the department of international relations and cooperation said.
“These deadly airstrikes emerge after a failure to implement the second stage of the peace agreement by Israel and despite ongoing negotiations to ensure that the ceasefire holds.”
The department said reports that the strikes were approved by the Israeli government more than a week ago raised concerns about its commitment to a permanent ceasefire as envisaged in an agreement brokered by the United States, Egypt and Qatar in January.
The airstrikes followed weeks of faltering negotiations on extending the ceasefire and a failure by Hamas to release the remaining Israeli hostages taken captive in October 2023.
In a televised address on Tuesday evening, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said military pressure on Hamas was a “critical condition” for securing the release of the hostages.
“This is just the beginning. We will continue to fight to achieve all of our goals in this war.”
Netanyahu named Israel’s aims as the destruction of Hamas and the return of all hostages.
The department said the Israeli military struck at shelters in densely inhabited areas and many of the victims were children.
“The airstrikes were concentrated on heavily built-up neighbourhoods, makeshift schools and residential buildings where people have been sheltering, which is again a blatant violation of international law, including international humanitarian law.”
It noted that provisional orders issued by the International Court of Justice in South Africa’s genocide case against Israel directed the country to ensure humanitarian aid reached Gaza.
“South Africa is gravely concerned by the military onslaught, and the fact that millions of people in Gaza are facing severe food and water shortages as Israel continues to block aid and cut off energy supplies to the strip,” the department said.
“Israel, which has enforced a total blockade of Gaza, has now issued new forced displacement orders for several areas.”
South Africa also condemned Israel’s military strikes on southern Syria.
“Israel’s airstrikes and previous statements that it does not want any Syrian military presence in the south of Syria is a violation of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the department said.
