On Dec. 29, 2023, South Africa instituted proceedings against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), requesting that the ICJ rule that Israel is violating the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, (the Genocide Convention), as part of the war in Gaza. On Jan. 11 and 12, 2024, the ICJ conducted hearings on South Africa’s request for provisional measures.

Specifically, South Africa urged the ICJ to issue orders requiring Israel to, inter alia, cease all alleged violations of the Genocide Convention, and thereby, in effect, impose a unilateral ceasefire on Israel.