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South Africa submitted a comprehensive dossier to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on August 25, 2026, documenting Israel’s failure to comply with three legally binding Provisional Measures Orders.
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation announced the action on Friday, stating that the submission provides critical evidence to assist the committee of ICJ judges monitoring compliance and evaluating potential Court enforcement options under Article 11 of the ICJ’s internal rules.
The South African government highlighted the severe humanitarian toll in Gaza, noting that Israeli military operations have killed at least 73,407 Palestinians and injured 174,335 since October 7, 2023—representing over 10 per cent of Gaza’s population.
Officials warned that despite a reported ceasefire, “on average, one Palestinian child has been killed every day by the Israeli military,” while miscarriage rates in Gaza tripled in 2026.
Treasury and diplomatic representatives further noted that surviving residents face extreme trauma, water and medicine shortages, and forced displacement into shrinking zones.
Pretoria emphasised that Israel’s continuous defiance damages both Palestinian survival and international legal frameworks.
“Israel’s failure to comply with the Provisional Measures Ordered by the Court undermines their protective function and entails further destruction of the Palestinian group,” the statement read, adding that the binding orders “safeguard the administration of justice and the legitimacy of the ICJ itself.”
South Africa urged all member states to fulfil their duty under the Genocide Convention to prevent genocide and enforce compliance with the tribunal’s rulings.
