Again, South Africa accuses Israel of war crime, crime against humanity in Gaza

President Cyril Ramaphosa has again accused Israel of war crimes and a crime against humanity as the Israeli forces renewed their raging attacks on the Gaza Strip as the truce earlier brokered by Qatar, Egypt, and the US expires.

Speaking at the COP28 in Dubai, the South African leader said, “The current situation in Gaza constitutes a war crime and a crime against humanity; those responsible must be held accountable under international law.”

“South Africa is appalled by the cruel tragedy that is under way in Gaza. The war against the innocent people of Palestine is a war crime that must be ended now,” he said in his address.

Recall that members of the South African parliament, in a glaring show of support for the people of Gaza, voted to end all relations with Israel and close its embassy in Pretoria, the capital city.

President Cyril Ramaphosa recently referred Israel to the International Criminal Court for potential war crimes and recalled South Africa’s diplomats from Israel.

Also, Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan earlier echoed the same sentiment as he addressed leaders during his formal speech to the COP28 conference.

“While discussing the climate crisis, we cannot ignore the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the Palestinian territories right beside us,” he said.

On his part, Jordan’s King Abdullah said it was difficult to focus on global warming while the fighting was still raging.

Some demonstrators at the conference called for ceasefire as they chanted “Free Palestine”.

Meanwhile, Qatar, which has played an important mediating role in the conflict, said negotiations were continuing with Israelis and Palestinians to restore the truce.

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza said 178 people have been killed in Israeli strikes, since the end of the truce.

“Most of whom are children and women,” the ministry says in a statement. There were also 589 injuries recorded in the renewed attacks, the statement added.