In a speech broadcast on television on Tuesday (January 2), the head of Hamas’ political bureau thanked South Africa for bringing action against Israel before the highest court of the United Nations.
South Africa claims that Israel’s acts and omissions in the Gaza Strip are genocidal in nature, in an 84-page request.
Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas welcomed this important legal action.
“I applaud all positions of support, especially that of South Africa, which has filed a complaint with the International Court of Justice against the occupying state for its crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing and its genocide, and we appreciate the political and legal importance of this legal action.”
Israel has rejected these accusations.
South Africa has asked the Hague-based court to issue an order immediately suspending Israel’s military operations in the Gaza Strip. A hearing on this request is expected to take place in the coming days or weeks. If the case proceeds, it will take several years, but an interim order could be issued in the coming weeks.
Hamas’ military wing launched the deadliest attack in Israel on October 7. Around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed and hundreds kidnapped.
This led to the latest war in the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“This aggression will stop under the blows of the resistance and resilience of our people; the occupation has no choice but to respond to the will of our people. I would like to emphasize here that, taking into account the initiatives and offers received by the leadership of the movement from the brothers in Egypt and Qatar, and after positively studying these ideas, the movement presented its position and vision to Qatar and Egypt, which is based on a complete cessation of the “aggression against our people, alleviating their suffering and responding to their legitimate and just demands.”
The Israeli military offensive has killed more than 20,000 people in Gaza and exacerbated a humanitarian crisis.
South Africa condemned “all violations of international law committed by all parties, including the direct targeting of Israeli civilians and other nationals, as well as the taking of hostages by Hamas and other armed groups Palestinians.”
South Africa and Israel are both members of the United Nations and parties to the Genocide Convention.
What will happen once the war in Gaza ends?
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said Tuesday he was “open to the idea” of a single Palestinian administration to govern Gaza, which is ruled by the militant group, and the occupied West Bank.
Palestinian groups have been divided over a common strategy for years.
The United States on Tuesday “rejected” recent comments by two Israeli ministers who suggested that Palestinians should be moved out of Gaza, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.
In mid-October, Egypt once again refused to accept what it calls the transfer of responsibility from Israel as occupying power, in particular to “ensure the security of civilians” living under its occupation.
The Israeli army announced on Tuesday (January 2) that several thousand soldiers would be withdrawn from Gaza in the coming weeks, although it did not specify publicly whether the withdrawal marks a new phase in the war.
The move is in line with plans Israeli leaders have outlined for a low-intensity campaign, expected to last much of the year, focused on Hamas’s remaining strongholds.