The International Criminal Court issued a warrant of arrest for Netanyahu last year, partly due to his use of starvation as a method of war. Such strategies are entirely illegal in international law and constitute a grave violation of human rights—amounting to a war crime.
Despite two million people now depending on international aid as a direct result of Israel’s brutal assault on the region, Israel has tightened its siege, preventing any aid from entering. This effectively makes hostages of the entire population of Gaza, exacerbating conditions that already approximate those of a concentration camp, and depriving people of food, water, medical care, and shelter.
The ceasefire agreement co-signed by Israel guaranteed three phases, with the terms of phase 1 automatically extended until phase 2 commences. Netanyahu falsely claims that while negotiating phase 2, the terms of phase 1 do not apply—and he is demanding a new agreement for this interim phase—one in which Hamas releases more hostages in order for the ceasefire to be maintained. This is a clear contravention of the agreement.
In this way, Israel can stall on negotiating a permanent ceasefire while keeping troops in Gaza indefinitely. By cutting off aid to Gaza and starving its population, Israel hopes to further pressure Hamas into these concessions. To negotiate in such bad faith shows a lack of respect for peace processes. To use war crimes as a means of coercion—depriving a civilian population of basic necessities—demonstrates a disregard not only for international law but also for fundamental human rights.
In March 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) made Provisional Orders requiring the immediate and unrestricted supply of life-saving aid to Gaza. Israel violated these orders for over a year. Allowing such aid was also a condition agreed to by Israel in the long-negotiated ceasefire, and it has, up to now, only permitted a fraction of what it agreed. Now, Israel has chosen the start of Ramadan—a sacred time for the majority of Gaza—to cut off all aid completely.
It is impossible to over-emphasise how contrary this is to foundational Jewish values. South African Jews for a Free Palestine once again rejects Israel’s claim to act on behalf of all Jewish people.
South Africa’s own long struggle for human rights affords it a particular moral authority with respect to the dispossessed and persecuted. As South Africans, we not only have the right, but are in fact obligated, to take whatever action we can on their behalf. We therefore implore the South African government— which has already managed to secure provisional orders from the ICJ— to urgently intervene again. We further ask other states and world leaders to intervene on behalf of the long-beleaguered population of Gaza.
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