Egypt announced on Sunday its intention to formally intervene to support South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) amid the ongoing Gaza war.
The Egyptian foreign ministry said in a statement that the move comes in light of the “worsening severity and scope of Israeli attacks against Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip.”
It added that the decision was made amid the systematic Israeli practices and attacks that have prompted people to eventually displace and leave their land, creating “an unprecedented humanitarian crisis.”
Countries like Turkey and Colombia had previously expressed their interest in joining South Africa’s case against Israel.
South Africa in January asked the World Court to declare that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza and to order Israel to stop its military campaign in the Strip.
The ICJ, also known as the World Court, instead ordered Israel to refrain from acts that could fall under the genocide convention and to ensure its troops commit no genocidal acts against Palestinians in Gaza.
In March, ICJ judges unanimously ordered Israel to take all necessary and effective action to ensure basic food supplies arrive without delay to Palestinians in Gaza.
The Egyptian announcement was made after Israel this week defied international cries by entering eastern areas of Rafah, which borders Egypt and seized the nearby crossing that is the main conduit for aid into the besieged Palestinian territory.
Egyptian media on Saturday reported that the country informed Israel that it refused to coordinate with it on the entry of aid into Gaza from the Rafah crossing, due to Israel’s “unacceptable escalation.”
Egypt on Sunday called on Israel to adhere to its international commitments and to ensure that aid is getting through to those in need and that Israeli forces “are not committing any violations against the Palestinian people.”
It also called on the UN Security Council and countries of influence to take actions to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and halt military operations in Rafah, according to the statement.
