Belgium on Tuesday became the latest country to support South Africa’s case at the International Court of Justice, which urges the World Court to hold Israel accountable for genocide in the Gaza Strip.
The U.N.'s highest court, based in The Hague, said in a statement that Brussels had filed a declaration of intervention.
Several countries, including Brazil, Colombia, Ireland, Mexico, Spain and Türkiye, have already joined the case.
In December 2023, South Africa brought a case to the United Nations' highest court in The Hague, alleging Israel's Gaza offensive breached the 1948 U.N. Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
In rulings in January, March and May 2024, the ICJ told Israel to do everything possible to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza, including by providing urgently needed humanitarian aid to prevent famine.
These orders are legally binding, but the court has no concrete means to enforce them.
Israel has criticized the proceedings and rejected the accusations, despite damning evidence.
The Israeli military's genocidal attacks killed 70,369 Palestinians, mostly civilians since, Oct. 2023. Israel also displaced the majority of the 2.2 million people in the blockaded Palestinian territory.
Belgium was among a string of countries to recognize the State of Palestine in September, a status acknowledged by nearly 80% of U.N. members.
