South African minister of international relations and cooperation Ronald Lamola said “growing outrage among Israel’s allies over the situation in Gaza signals that the world is edging closer to halting the ongoing atrocities.”
“We urge more countries around the world to recognize the State of Palestine,” Lamola said, adding that such moves would increase pressure on Israel to end its crimes against the Palestinian people.
South Africa has been a leading voice in opposing Israel’s war on Gaza and in December 2023 filed a landmark case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing it of committing acts of genocide.
The move has catalyzed a global response, with countries such as Spain, Bolivia, Colombia, Mexico, Türkiye, Chile, and Libya voicing stronger support for the Palestinian cause.
More recently, the leaders of France, Britain, and Canada have declared plans to formally recognize Palestine in September, calling on others to follow suit.
According to Gaza’s health ministry, over 60,000 Palestinians have been killed since the beginning of the war, while 2.4 million people are now facing worsening famine.
Lamola warned that signs of famine in Gaza were already visible. “We warned the world this would happen. If action had been taken earlier, [this] humanitarian catastrophe could have been avoided.”