South Africa Files ICJ Dossier Accusing Israel of Defying Gaza Orders

South Africa has accused Israel of defying legally binding orders from the International Court of Justice, submitting a substantial dossier of evidence to a dedicated judicial committee that argues the ongoing non-compliance undermines the court's legitimacy and accelerates the destruction of Palestinians in Gaza. The submission, filed on August 25, 2026, was announced by South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) on August 28, detailing what Pretoria describes as Israel's failure to comply with three provisional measures issued by the ICJ in 2024. The ICJ, the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, ruled that Palestinians in Gaza face an imminent risk of genocide and issued binding orders in January, March, and May 2024. These measures required Israel to prevent acts prohibited under the Genocide Convention, preserve evidence, enable humanitarian aid, and allow UN investigators access to Gaza. South Africa's dossier, submitted under Article 11 of the ICJ's rules on Internal Judicial Practice, empowers a three-judge committee to monitor compliance and recommend possible action to the full court.