By Johnathan Paoli
The South African government has expressed outrage following the killing of at least 31 Palestinians and the injury of more than 200 others near an aid distribution site in Rafah, Southern Gaza.
The International Relations and Cooperation Department said the incident was a gross violation of international law and has demanded accountability from Israel.
“This atrocity is a stark reminder of the catastrophic and dire conditions under bombardment and siege in Gaza. Access to food and essential aid has become perilous and a matter of life and death,” the department said in a statement.
According to reports, Israeli forces opened fire on crowds of desperate civilians gathered to receive humanitarian aid.
Gaza’s Health Ministry reported that many victims suffered gunshot wounds to the head and chest, reinforcing concerns about the disproportionate use of force.
South Africa has joined global calls for an immediate and impartial international investigation into the incident.
The department reiterated that, as the occupying power, Israel bears full legal responsibility under international humanitarian law for the protection of civilians and the facilitation of humanitarian access.
It described the attack as a grave breach of the Geneva Conventions and condemned what it termed the “targeting, killing and injuring of vulnerable civilians”.
South Africa also raised concerns about the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a private initiative accused of undermining established humanitarian norms by entrusting aid distribution to military personnel.
The country aligned itself with international criticism of GHF, arguing that the militarisation of aid contradicts the principles of neutrality, impartiality and independence enshrined in international humanitarian law.
“We condemn in particular, the deliberate marginalisation of established aid agencies, most notably the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA),” the department said.
UNRWA, active for over 75 years, has faced growing political pressure and funding cuts amid the ongoing conflict.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza has reached critical levels.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification recently warned of a looming famine, stating that one in five Gazans is at risk of starvation in the coming weeks.
South Africa pointed to this data as evidence of the use of starvation as a weapon of war, a tactic prohibited under Article 54 of Protocol I of the Geneva Conventions.
The department highlighted the global shift in sentiment, referencing the European Union’s vote to review trade relations with Israel and mounting legal action from international groups like the Madrid and Hague initiatives.
South Africa recalled the International Court of Justice’s binding provisional measures against Israel in its ongoing genocide case, including explicit orders to ensure humanitarian access, orders which the government says have been repeatedly defied.
Quoting UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, South Africa accused Israel of attempting to “dismantle the very principles upon which humanitarian law was built”, while using aid as a diversion from international legal scrutiny.
Albanese’s call for the establishment of an independent protection mechanism in Gaza, one that Israel cannot obstruct, was endorsed by the South African government.
“This is not a tragic anomaly, it is a direct consequence of the ongoing bombardment, siege, occupation and collective punishment of Gaza’s people,” the department said.
The statement concluded with an urgent appeal to the international community to demand unfettered humanitarian access, restore funding to UNRWA and neutral aid agencies, and pursue legal accountability through international courts and universal jurisdiction.
The department stated that the time for moral and legal clarity was now, calling on the international community to act decisively to prevent further loss of life and uphold the protections due to civilians under the Geneva Conventions and international law.
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