Context

South Africa asked the World Court to weigh whether Israel’s strikes on Rafah, and its intention to launch a ground offensive on the city, breaches both the U.N. Genocide Convention.a

Background

• The International Court of Justice (ICJ) last month ordered Israelto take all measures within its power to prevent its troops from committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, in a case brought by South Africa.
• Israel has denied all allegations of genocide in connection with its waragainst Gaza's ruling Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.

 U.N. Genocide Convention

• The Genocide Convention is the first human rights treaty in the history of the United Nations, adopted on the eve of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
• The Convention calls on all States, and all of us, to maintain vigilance, and push for action to prevent genocide, everywhere.