South Africa Urges Prosecution of Israel Over Unlawful Attacks on Children

The South African government has centralized its attention on the escalating conflict in the Middle East, calling for the prosecution of Israel for its supposed unlawful attacks on children. The government also called for the implementation of a rapid protection force to safeguard civilians in Palestine from any further attacks. These steps have been marked as essential in response to Israel's ongoing war with Hamas militants, which began on October 7.

The South African Department of International Relations and Co-operation (Dirco) further expounded on the issue stating, "Over 80 complete families have been exterminated due to Israeli military action, and the rising death toll of non-combatants, particularly children, calls for a global intervention and accountability".

Not only South African citizens but also non-residents have experienced a critical blow, with members of a Palestinian diplomat's family based in Pretoria being killed in an Israeli air strike, as reported by the Dirco. The devastation extends further with a reported death of 25 family members of a Palestinian based in Johannesburg.

The South African government, extending its support to the resolution passed by the UN General Assembly, called for immediate ceasefire and implementation of a humanitarian corridor for the provision of necessities including, food, medical supplies and fuel.

Dirco, referring to a report by Save the Children, stated a grave escalation in the number of children casualties in Gaza, surpassing the yearly count of child casualties across global conflict zones since 2019.

The South African government calls for immediate action in light of the escalating crisis, pressing the UN to deploy a rapid response force to prevent further decimation of the civilian population.