South Africa has welcomed Wednesday’s ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas, urging the two sides to protect the rights of civilians in both countries.
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani announced on Wednesday that Hamas and Israel had agreed to a ceasefire deal, which is set to begin on Sunday so long as it was approved by the Israeli cabinet. The ceasefire is expected to last for 42 days.
The deal will see the exchange of hostages detained by both sides as well as the return of Palestinians – who have been forcibly displaced by Israeli forces – to their homes across the Gaza Strip.
The deal will also see the facilitation of travel of people wounded by Israeli attacks and sick people in order to receive treatment, as well as the positioning of Israeli forces across the Gaza border.
In a statement on Thursday, South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation called on both parties to ensure the protection and promotion of human rights for both Palestinians and Israelis.
“South Africa calls for the implementation of a just and lasting peace that ensures the human rights of both Palestinians and Israelis are protected and promoted,” the statement said.
It described the ceasefire agreement as a crucial first step towards ending the severe humanitarian crisis faced by the 2.3 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip since October 2023.
South Africa last year approached the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for an order instructing Israel to halt its bombardment of the Gaza Strip. The ICJ deemed the situation in Gaza to be plausibly genocidal.
“The ceasefire must lay the basis for a just peace which should include the establishment of a contiguous, independent and viable Palestinian state. Palestinian sovereignty and territorial integrity must be upheld,” the statement said.
It added: “It is imperative that no land is annexed in either Gaza or the West Bank following the ceasefire, and that illegal settlement expansion is halted.”
South Africa also highlighted the urgent need for immediate and massive humanitarian aid to provide relief to civilians in Gaza.
It called for the lifting of all obstacles to the delivery of humanitarian aid, allowing civilians unrestricted access to essential food, water, shelter and healthcare.
