What is South Africa vs Israel?
A few weeks ago, South Africa brought a case against Israel before the International Court of Justice (ICJ). They wanted the court to decide if Israel was committing genocide in Gaza. South Africa also wanted a ceasefire in the war.
Recently, the ICJ issued a verdict regarding this case.
What was the ICJ’s verdict regarding the case?
The ICJ has told Israel to prevent genocide in Gaza, but it didn't demand an immediate stop to the fighting. Israel also has to make sure its soldiers don't commit genocide.
The court didn't make a final decision about whether genocide occurred in Gaza. But most judges agreed that help, such as food, medicines, etc., must be allowed to reach Palestine.
This is just a temporary decision from the court. The final decision will come after more hearings, which could take a long time.
What are the reactions to the ruling?
A South African minister said they wanted the fighting to stop, but they're okay with the ICJ’s decision. Many people in Israel are happy with the court's decision.
An Israeli government spokesperson said they're happy the court rejected South Africa's ceasefire request. They explained that if the fighting stopped, Israel wouldn't be able to keep its people safe and fight for the hostages.
Many experts also said even though the court's decision helped Israel, the country's reputation might suffer due to the war. Many people worldwide are supporting Palestine and blaming Israel for murdering innocent people in Gaza.
We hope there’s a ceasefire soon.
