“It is now the responsibility of the United Nations Security Council to ensure that there is compliance with the resolution, which is binding on the parties.”
South Africa has welcomed the UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, emphasizing that it is “now the responsibility” of the United Nations to ensure it is implemented.
“South Africa is pleased that the Security Council has, at long last, demanded an immediate and lasting ceasefire for the month of Ramadan and the Resolution must also propose that this ceasefire should lead to a lasting sustainable ceasefire,” the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Naledi Pandor. said in a statement on Monday.
“It is now the responsibility of the United Nations Security Council to ensure that there is compliance with the resolution, which is binding on the parties,” she stressed.
US Abstains – UN Security Council Passes Resolution Calling for Gaza Ceasefire
The resolution, which was presented by non-permanent members of the Security Council, “demands an immediate ceasefire for the month of Ramadan respected by all parties leading to a sustainable lasting ceasefire.”
It also “demands the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, stressing the urgent need to increase aid and demanding the removal of all obstacles to its delivery.”
Concerning Death Toll
South Africa, however, “remained concerned that in the over five months, since the conflict began, thousands have lost their lives, including over 13 000 children,” the statement said.
“As Resolution 2728 notes, there is an ‘urgent need to expand the flow of humanitarian assistance to and reinforce the protection of civilians in the entire Gaza Strip’,” it pointed out.
“It is therefore vital that the parties comply with the Security Council, ‘demand for the lifting of all barriers to the provision of humanitarian assistance at scale, in line with international humanitarian law, as well as Resolution 2712 (2023) and 2720 (2023)’,” the statement concluded.
Pretoria has been a consistent voice in the criticism of Israel’s ongoing genocidal attack on the Gaza Strip which, to date, has killed 32,333 Palestinians, and wounded 74,694 others, according to figures provided by Gaza’s Ministry of Health.
ICJ Case
South Africa took Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in December accusing Tel Aviv of violating the Genocide Convention in its military assault on Gaza.
At the time, South Africa’s Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Ronald Lamola, said his government was “determined to see the end of genocide that is currently taking place in Gaza.”
The ICJ found it plausible that Israel’s actions in Gaza could amount to genocide and issued six provisional measures, ordering Israel to take all measures within its power to prevent genocidal acts, including ensuring the delivery of aid to the besieged Palestinians.
‘South Africa Determined to Stop Israel’s Gaza Genocide’ – Justice Minister
Urgent Applications
Last month, Minister Pandor warned that all states have a legal obligation to uphold the provisional measures ordered by the ICJ saying that failure to do so is complicity in the crimes of genocide.
“In fact, all states now have a legal obligation to ensure respect for the provisional measures as well as ensure that they are not complicit in the genocide,” Pandor stated.
Countries Which Aid Israel Complicit in Genocide – South Africa Warns
South Africa has since the initial ICJ ruling submitted two urgent applications to the ICJ; one regarding Israel’s planned ground invasion of the southern Gaza town of Rafah and the other application filed in response to “the situation of widespread starvation” in Gaza.
South Africa said it was “regrettable” that Israel has not complied with the Court’s order of January 26, but “has instead escalated its genocidal acts against the Palestinian people.”
Forceful Displacement
In addition to the staggering death toll in the besieged enclave, at least 7,000 people are unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes throughout the Strip.
Palestinian and international organizations say that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children.
‘Extreme Urgency’ – South Africa Files Urgent Request to ICJ over Gaza Starvation
The Israeli aggression has also resulted in the forceful displacement of nearly two million people from all over the Gaza Strip, with the vast majority of the displaced forced into the densely crowded southern city of Rafah near the border with Egypt – in what has become Palestine’s largest mass exodus since the 1948 Nakba.
Israel says that 1,200 soldiers and civilians were killed during the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation on October 7. Israeli media published reports suggesting that many Israelis were killed on that day by ‘friendly fire.’
(The Palestine Chronicle)
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