South Africa is concerned that the Gaza ceasefire is being “undermined” by continued Israeli assaults on the enclave and the occupied West Bank, the African nation's president said on Monday.
“After decades of dispossession, repression and oppression, the people of Gaza are facing genocide,” Cyril Ramaphosa said at a public lecture at the University of Malay in Kuala Lumpur, where he was conferred an honorary doctorate in international relations.
Ramaphosa praised Malaysia’s “principled solidarity” with Palestinians and reiterated his country’s appreciation of the ceasefire deal brokered by the US, Türkiye, Qatar, and Egypt, which includes hostages’ return, the release of Palestinian prisoners, and the resumption of humanitarian aid.
“We cannot but be moved to action by the slaughter of tens of thousands of civilians, forced displacement, deliberate starvation and the destruction of homes, schools, hospitals and other essential infrastructure,” he said.
Two-state solution
The South African leader urged the international community to “make every effort” to ensure the peace deal paves the way for Palestinian statehood and self-determination, and to pursue a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders, with Palestine existing peacefully alongside Israel.
Ramaphosa also praised Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for his support of South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and for Malaysia’s leadership within the Hague Group – a coalition of Colombia, South Africa, Bolivia, Cuba, Honduras, Malaysia, Namibia and Senegal, which aims to hold Israel accountable under international law.
In December 2023, South Africa initiated landmark proceedings against Israel at the ICJ, alleging violations of the 1948 Genocide Convention in its war on Gaza.
Between January and May 2024, the ICJ issued three sets of provisional measures ordering Israel to prevent genocide, halt its military operations, and allow humanitarian access into the enclave.
Case status update
In an order on October 20, ICJ President Yuji Iwasawa extended the deadline for Israel’s Counter-Memorial – its formal written defence – to March 12, 2026.
The ICJ initially set October 28, 2024, for South Africa to submit its written arguments and July 28, 2025, for Israel’s counter-arguments.
After Israel sought a six-month extension, the court allowed a five-and-a-half-month delay, moving its deadline to January 12, 2026, but Israel requested another extension on October 14, which South Africa opposed, warning it would undermine the urgency and disrupt the procedural balance.
