"South Africa intends to provide facts and evidence to prove that Israel is committing the crime of genocide in Palestine," the statement read.

The case is expected to proceed until the ICJ reaches a final decision. In the meantime, South Africa expressed hope that Israel would comply with the court’s provisional orders issued thus far.

In December, South Africa brought a case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing Israel of violating the 1948 UN Genocide Convention during its military campaign in Gaza. This convention, established in the wake of World War II and the Holocaust, aims to prevent and punish acts of genocide.

Several countries, including Nicaragua, Palestine, Turkey, Spain, Mexico, Libya, and Colombia, have joined South Africa’s case against Israel.

In January, the ICJ responded by issuing six provisional measures, affirming its prima facie jurisdiction to hear the case. These measures required Israel to comply with certain legal obligations while the case was being adjudicated.

Israel has dismissed the court proceedings, rejecting the legitimacy of the ICJ's involvement. 

In response, South Africa filed a third request in March, affirming that Israel had breached previous court orders. This request included a demand for Israel to withdraw its occupation forces from Rafah and to grant unrestricted access to Gaza for UN officials, humanitarian organizations, and journalists.

The case represents a significant international legal effort to address serious violations of international law during the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza and to promote peace in the Middle East. 

Israel's brutal war on the Gaza Strip since Oct.7 has killed at least 41,020 people, most of them women and children, with another 94,925 people wounded, according to the Palestinian health ministry. 

The Israeli campaign also has left large swathes of Gaza in ruins and displaced the vast majority of its 2.4 million people at least once.