Brazil joins S. Africa's case on Israeli genocide at ICJ

BRASILIA, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Brazil announced Wednesday it is in the final stages of acceding to South Africa's lawsuit against Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

"The Brazilian Government announces that it is in the final phase of presenting a formal intervention in the ongoing case before the International Court of Justice, filed by South Africa under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide," the Brazilian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"The Brazilian government expresses its deep indignation at the recurring episodes of violence against the civilian population in the State of Palestine, which are not restricted to the Gaza Strip and extend to the West Bank," it added.

The ministry denounced Israel's serious violations of human rights and humanitarian law, including attacks on civilian infrastructure, religious sites and UN facilities.

It also mentioned indiscriminate violence and vandalism by extremist settlers in the West Bank, massacres of civilians -- mainly women and children -- during the delivery of humanitarian aid in Gaza, and "the blatant use of hunger as a weapon of war."

"Added to these horrors are continuous violations of international law, such as the annexation of territories by force and the expansion of illegal settlements," said the statement.

In December 2023, South Africa approached the ICJ seeking an interdict for the court to compel Israel to halt attacks on Palestine and declare these acts as genocide. In January 2024, the UN court ordered Israel to take all possible measures to prevent acts of genocide and ensure humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip.

Since Israel resumed its military campaign in Gaza on March 18, at least 7,750 Palestinians have been killed, bringing the overall death toll in Gaza since the conflict began in October 2023 to 58,573, according to data released last week by health authorities in Gaza. ■