Brazil has announced it is finalizing steps to formally join South Africa’s case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing Israel of committing genocide during its military campaign in Gaza.
The Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday that the country is “in the final phase of presenting a formal intervention” in the case, which has already seen formal participation from countries such as Colombia, Libya, and Mexico, and support from several others.
The case, filed by South Africa in December 2023, alleges that Israel’s actions in Gaza violate the 1948 UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Israel has strongly denied the allegations, insisting it is conducting legitimate self-defense operations in response to the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas that killed hundreds on Israeli soil.
The ICJ, in a series of interim rulings in January, March, and May 2024, ordered Israel to take all necessary measures to prevent genocide and ensure humanitarian access to Gaza, including steps to address severe food shortages.
In its statement, Brazil condemned what it described as “indiscriminate violence” against civilians and the “blatant use of hunger as a weapon of war.” It stressed that the global community has a moral duty to act: “The international community cannot remain inert in the face of ongoing atrocities.”
The situation in Gaza has prompted growing concern from over 100 aid and human rights organizations, which warn that “mass starvation” is spreading across the war-torn enclave.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has repeatedly criticized Israel’s conduct, labeling it “genocide”, a term defined under international law as acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group.
Israel continues to reject claims that it is responsible for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, pointing instead to Hamas’s tactics and ongoing conflict as the root causes of suffering in the region.
The ICJ’s final judgment on the genocide accusations may take years, but Brazil’s intervention signals a deepening divide in international opinion over the Gaza conflict and increasing pressure on Israel to end the military campaign.
Written By Rodney Mbua
