Minister xijinping outlining the countrys to ties. Ahead of an election year, labours keir starmer sets out his partys key messages. Hello, im Annita Mcveigh welcome to bbc news now, 3 hours of fast moving news, interviews and reaction. South africa has filed an urgent request to the International Court of Human Justice in the request to the International Court of humanjustice in the hague request to the International Court of Human Justice in the hague asking that the court all delete in order israel to halt its offensive in rafah and do more to protect its civilians in gaza. In its findings, south africa described rafah as a last refuge for palestinians in gaza and said israels assault on a population meant that new measures needed. It is the latest intervention by the South African Government and its legal case against israel. It argues that on top of direct military attacks, israel is starving palace unions in gaza by Obstructing Access To Food and fuel and medicines. Israel, meanwhile, insists it acts within International Law and says it has the right to defend itself. Lets take a look at the scene inside the International Court ofjustice. That hearing under way imminently, we understand, join anna holligan, who has been is following all of these events for us. Take us back earlier to this year which is when we first heard about south africas intervention and its call on the court to instruct israel to change its behaviour was yellow exactly so this is the fourth time south africa has appealed to judges here this is the fourth time south africa has appealed tojudges here in this is the fourth time south africa has appealed to judges here in the International Court of justice has appealed to judges here in the International Court ofjustice to order israel to halt its Military Offensive in gaza. Its order israel to halt its Military Offensive in gaza. Offensive in gaza. Its slightly different this offensive in gaza. Its slightly different this time offensive in gaza. Its slightly different this time insofar offensive in gaza. Its slightly different this time insofar as | offensive in gaza. Its slightly different this time insofar as they are focusing on rafah. There is a geographical limitation in this filing and south africa has asked the judges to issue three orders so first of all for israel to halt its military effective delete back offensive in rafa and to allow humanitarian aid workers and un investigators and geneticists to get into rafah and preserve any evidence and allow them to provide food, water, medicalsupplies and allow them to provide food, water, medical supplies to the population sheltering there. And also for israel to report back within one week to report on how it responds to the issue ordered by the court and in a few months in reference to how israel is responding to an earlier orders made by this court which i let south africa alleges israel has so far ignored. figs africa alleges israel has so far innored. A. ,. , ignored. As you are speaking to us, we have just ignored. As you are speaking to us, we have just been ignored. As you are speaking to us, we have just been seeing ignored. As you are speaking to us, we have just been seeing the ignored. As you are speaking to us, | we have just been seeing the judges enter the courtroom ahead of proceedings getting under way. Viewers may wonder why south africa is doing this. Viewers may wonder why south africa is doing thie viewers may wonder why south africa is doing this is doing this. Absolutely. We are watchin is doing this. Absolutely. We are watching the is doing this. Absolutely. We are watching the judges is doing this. Absolutely. We are watching the judges now is doing this. Absolutely. We are watching the judges now take. Is doing this. Absolutely. We are l watching the judges now take their seatin watching the judges now take their seat in the court panel. The Presiding Judge will begin by giving approximately ten to 15 minutes summary of the case, the background, how we got here. People wondering why south africa, or any state which is signatory to the Genocide Convention, has a responsibility under that convention to ensure that there are no violations. Under that convention to ensure that there are no violations. There are no violations. Anna, im auoin to there are no violations. Anna, im going to interruptions, there are no violations. Anna, im going to interruptions, apologies, l going to interruptions, apologies, if you can hear me. We are going to listen to proceedings inside the court. �. ,. , listen to proceedings inside the court. ,. ,. , court. And the modification previous rovisional court. And the modification previous provisional measures court. And the modification previous provisional measures in court. And the modification previous provisional measures in the court. And the modification previous provisional measures in the case provisional measures in the case concerning the publication of the Convention On The Prevention And Punishment of the crime of genocide in the gaza strip. South africa versus israel. For reasons made known to mean the unable to be present on the bench through these hearings. I shall now record the principal steps of the procedure in the case. On 29th December 2023 the government of south africa filed in the registry of the court an application instituting proceedings against the state of israel. Alleging violations by the letter of its obligations under the i948 alleging violations by the letter of its obligations under the 1948 of Convention On The Prevention And Punishment of the crime of genocide. Foot to which i shall refer to as the Genocide Convention. In particular. South africa contended that israel in conducting Military Operations in and against gaza in the wake of the attack in israel of hamas on october seven, 2023 has breached and continue to breach its obligations under the Genocide Convention. The findings of the restrictions of the Court South Africa invokes paragraph one of the article and article nine of the Genocide Convention. The application contained a request of provisional measures, assuming to article 41 of the court and article 73, 7a, and 75 of the rules of court. In its order of the rules of court. In its order of january 20 of the rules of court. In its order ofjanuary 20 six, of the rules of court. In its order of january 20 six, 2024, the court indicated various provisional members lead mac measures addressed to israel. My letter dated february 12, 2024, south africa submitted to i2, 2024, south africa submitted to the court what referred to as an urgent request for additional measures on article 75, paragraph one, the rules of court, in interaction with certain developing situations in gaza. My letterfrom the registrar, the parties were informed that the conventional measure is indicated by the court in its order of 26 january, 2024, when applicable throughout the gaza strip, Including Rafah and that recent developments did not therefore demand indication of additional provisional measures. The court emphasised that israel remained bound to freely comply with the conventions of the set order including by ensuring their safety and security of the palestinians in the gaza strip. On march six, 2024, south africa filed a further request for additional measures and or the modification of previous measures previously indicated in the court by its order of 26 january, 2024, based on the alleged change in the situation in gaza since the indication of the first set of provisional measures. In its order of march 20 eight, 2024, the court found that exceptionally grave recent developments, including a desperate level of Food Insecurity in the gaza strip and the fact that famine was a setting in, constituted change in the situation within the meaning of article 76 of the rules. The court concluded that the provisional measures indicated in the order of 26 january, 2024, did not fully address the consequences arising from this change in the situation. Thusjustifying arising from this change in the situation. Thus justifying the modification of those measures. The operative blows, the court affirmed the provisional measures indicated in this order ofjanuary 26, 2024, and indicated additional measures. The court indicated that The State Of Israel Shall. Of the worsening conditions and seriousness in gaza in particular, the spread of famine and starvation, the court necessarily had effective measures to ensure that without delay the unhindered provision of, at scale, by all concerned, of urgency needed of basic services and humanitarian assistance to palestinians throughout gaza. And to ensure that its military with immediate effect does not continue to. Violation of the scenes in gaza which would be in contradiction to thejennifer conventions up todays proceedings confirmed the urgent request by south africa on ten may, 2024, for the indication of traditional delete immediate provisional measures previously prescribed by the court in this case. The registrar will now read out the passage from the request specifying the provisional measures which the government of south africa is asking the court to indicate. We have the floor mr registrar. Indicate. We have the floor mr reaistrar. , ~ ,. , ~ , registrar. Thank you, mr president. I uuote, registrar. Thank you, mr president. Iquote. One. Registrar. Thank you, mr president. I quote. One. The registrar. Thank you, mr president. I quote, one, the state registrar. Thank you, mr president. I quote, one, the state of registrar. Thank you, mr president. I quote, one, the state of israel i quote, one, The State Of Israel Shall i quote, one, The State Of Israel Shall immediately withdraw and seize its Military Offensive in the rafah governance. To The State Of Israel Shall governance. To The State Of Israel Shall immediately take all effective measures to ensure and facilitate Unimpeded Access To Gaza to United NationsUnimpeded Access To Gaza to United Nations and other officials engaged in the nations and other officials engaged in the provision of humanitarian aid and assistance to the state of gaza as well and assistance to the state of gaza as well as and assistance to the state of gaza as well as fact finding missions, internationally mandated bodies or officials, internationally mandated bodies or officials, investigators and journalists in order to assess and record journalists in order to assess and Record Conditions on the ground in gaza Record Conditions on the ground in gaza and Record Conditions on the ground in gaza and enable the effective preservation and retention of evidence preservation and retention of evidence and it shall ensure that its military does not act to prevent such access, provision of. Three, the state such access, provision of. Three, the state of such access, provision of. Three, The State Of Israel Shall submit an open The State Of Israel Shall submit an open report to the court on all measures open report to the court on all measures taken to in effect of these provision measures taken to in effect of these provision of measures taken to in effect of these provision of these measures within one week provision of these measures within one week as from the date of this order one week as from the date of this order and one week as from the date of this order and b, one week as from the date of this orderand b, all one week as from the date of this order and b, all measures taken to ive order and b, all measures taken to give effect order and b, all measures taken to give effect to all previous provisional measures indicated by the Court Provisional measures indicated by the court within one month as from the court within one month as from the date the court within one month as from the date of the court within one month as from the date of this order. End of the quote the date of this order. End of the uuote. ,. , quote. The registrar immediately after the finding quote. The registrar immediately after the finding of quote. The registrar immediately after the finding of the quote. The registrar immediately after the finding of the request i quote. The registrar immediately. After the finding of the request for additional provisional measures and ending modification of previous provisional measures the registrar transmitted a urgent copy to the state of the government of israel. According to article 74, paragraph one, a request for indication of provisional measures shall have priority over all other cases. Paragraph two, of the same article, states that the court shall proceed with the decision on of the request as a matter of urgency. This imperative must however be balanced with the need of a fixed date of oral proceedings in such a way as to afford the parties with an opportunity to be represented at the hearing. Consequently, the parties were informed that the date for the opening of the order of the proceedings during which they could present their observations on the applicants request had been fixed for the first day of may 16 at 3pm. I would now like to welcome the delegations of south africa and israel and i note that the presence for the whole of the agents and concern of both parties. This afternoon, the court will hear the single round of Oral Argument of south africa, which has submitted the request for the indication and modification of provisional measures. It will heal israel tomorrow morning at 10am. For the purposes of the single round of Oral Argument, each party will have available to it a two hour sitting. In this first sitting, south africa may require, avail itself of a short extension of beyond 5pm and ensure the time taken up by these introductory remarks. Before i give the floor to the agent of south africa, i wish to draw the partys attention to practice, 11 roman which state as follows, i quote, in the order of pleadings in the request of indication of provisional measures, parties should limit themselves to what is relevant for themselves to what is relevant for the criteria of the provisional measures as stipulated by the statute, rules and jurisprudence of the court. They should not enter into the merits of the case beyond what is strictly necessary for that purpose. I now give the floor to the agent of south africa, his excellency mr moutinho c, you have the floor. Mr president , distinguished members of the mr president , distinguished members of the court, it is an honour and privilege of the court, it is an honour and privilege to of the court, it is an honour and privilege to for me to appear before you behalf privilege to for me to appear before you behalf of the republic of south africa you behalf of the republic of south africa a you behalf of the republic of south africa. A way to thank the court for setting africa. A way to thank the court for setting this africa. A way to thank the court for setting this matter for an hearing on the setting this matter for an hearing on the possible date recognising the extreme on the possible date recognising the extreme agency of its circumstances. Since extreme agency of its circumstances. Since its extreme agency of its circumstances. Since its initial application, south africa since its initial application, south africa had since its initial application, south africa had found itself compelled to return africa had found itself compelled to return to africa had found itself compelled to return to this court both in february return to this court both in february and in march 2024, to request february and in march 2024, to request for the indication provisional measures to prevent israeis provisional measures to prevent israels persistent acts of genocide against israels persistent acts of genocide against the Palestinian People in gaza against the Palestinian People in gaza. Sadly, south africa is yet again gaza. Sadly, south africa is yet again compelled to return to this court again compelled to return to this court in again compelled to return to this court in recognition of its obligation under the Genocide Convention due to the continuing annihilation of the Palestinian People annihilation of the Palestinian People with over 35,000 now killed and most people with over 35,000 now killed and most of gaza reduced to rubble. Despite and most of gaza reduced to rubble. Despite the and most of gaza reduced to rubble. Despite the short notice of this order despite the short notice of this order hearing, south africa has travelled order hearing, south africa has travelled here today to do what it can to travelled here today to do what it can to urgently stop the ongoing genocide, the gravity of the attacks requiring genocide, the gravity of the attacks requiring urgent and speedy proceedings are to preserve the right proceedings are to preserve th