The African National Congress (ANC) has welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s referral of Israel to the International Criminal Court to investigate war crimes against the Mid-Eastern country and its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Ramaphosa announced that South Africa had filed a referral to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate war crimes committed by Israel in the Gaza strip, which he said, the Israeli military had turned into a concentration camp.
He was speaking from the city of Doha, in Qatar, during his two-day State visit to the Middle East.
The latest figures indicate that more than 11 000 people have been killed in Gaza since Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel October 7.
These figures are according to the Hamas-run Palestinian health ministry. The death toll in Israel stands at approximately 1,200.
The ANC in a statement on Thursday, said welcomed the stance taken by its leader.
“The African National Congress (ANC) welcomes the announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa that our government has put through a referral to the ICC. We cannot sit back and watch the genocidal actions of the Israeli regime. President Ramaphosa has stated clearly that the ANC-led government as well as the ANC does not condone any form of violence directed at citizens. We welcome the fact that (in) this intervention, South Africa is not alone it has support of other nations,” the party said.
Meanwhile, Israeli troops said they had found a command centre, weapons and combat gear, belonging to Hamas militants in Gaza's biggest hospital on Wednesday.
“We reiterate our call for a cease-fire for humanitarian corridors to be fully operational. Given the unfolding atrocities in occupied Palestine, the ANC will agree to a parliamentary motion which calls upon the government to close the Israeli embassy in South Africa and suspend all diplomatic relations with Israel until Israel agrees to a cease-fire and commits to binding the United Nations facilitated negotiations whose outcome must be a just, sustainable and lasting peace,” the party said.
Meanwhile, Israeli troops said they had found a command centre, weapons and combat gear, belonging to Hamas militants in Gaza's biggest hospital on Wednesday.
According to Reuters, the Al Shifa hospital had become the latest target of a Gaza City incursion by Israeli forces.
The Star