By Ragheema Mclean

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has strongly condemned the recent discovery of a mass grave containing the remains of over 200 Palestinian civilians at Nasser Hospital in Gaza.

This discovery follows earlier reports of mass graves at Al-Shifa Hospital, raising concerns about the ongoing Israeli aggression in Palestine.

DIRCO has called for immediate and thorough investigations to ensure justice and accountability, highlighting Israel’s apparent disregard for international rulings amid the continued bombardment of Gaza.

The department has urged the international community to act swiftly, noting the evidence pointing to potential war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.

It further warned that the evidence of mass killings of civilian’s points to war crimes under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Speaking on VOC’s Drive Time show, Senior Researcher at the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (MISTRA), Naeem Jeenah, stated that South Africa’s application at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to have Israel’s actions declared as genocide is increasingly justified as more atrocities come to light.

He stated, “What is clear is that the Israelis have no intention to stop and that they are determined to violate every bit of international law that they can and commit every war crime that we could or could not have imagined. These discoveries are increasingly now just proving that point.”

Jeenah said that DIRCO’s statement on the graves at Nasser Hospital is consistent with the stance they’ve taken over the past few months.

“This is important in highlighting every instance where Israel is committing war crimes backing up SA’s ICJ case.”

Meanwhile, he also emphasized the need for countries and other governments to intervene, particularly those that have supported Israel in the past, stating, “There is a much greater burden on them.”

Jeenah also praised the increase in youth and student protest actions that has been unfolding in South Africa and globally, particularly in the US, calling it unprecedented.

“The active involvement of young people in these protests, taking strong views, showing solidarity, and refusing to remain silent on Israeli atrocities, demonstrates that the tide is changing.”

VOC News

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