Ramaphosa accuses Israel of genocide in Gaza as death toll crosses 13,000

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has accused Israel of war crimes and genocide in Gaza.

Ramaphosa spoke on Tuesday while chairing a virtual emergency meeting of the BRICS member nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) over the humanitarian situation in Gaza triggered by the war between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian militant group.

The South African president urged the BRICS leaders to use the voice of the global south to agree on “urgent and concrete actions to end the suffering in Gaza”.

He asked them to also establish a path towards a just and peaceful resolution of the conflict in the Middle East.

Israel had vowed to annihilate Hamas after the militant group infiltrated the Jewish nation over a month ago, killing civilians and taking hostages with them.

Although not every nation has been clear with calls for a ceasefire – a common stance between many foreign leaders, countries, and global organisations, is a plea for the protection of the civilians who have been caught in the crossfire.

The Hamas-run health ministry said the death toll from Israeli attacks in the city stands at 13,700, including over 5,500 children and 3,500 women.

Speaking on the situation, Ramaphosa said both Israel and Hamas have violated international law and must be held accountable.

He berated Israel for the “collective punishment of Palestinian civilians through the unlawful use of force” and described it as a “war crime”.

The South African president said the deliberate denial of medicine, fuel, food and water to the residents of Gaza, is “tantamount to genocide”.

He added that the atrocities witnessed are the “latest chapter in a painful history of suffering, oppression, occupation and conflict going back more than 75 years”.

“The actions by Israel are in clear violation of international law, including the UN Charter and the Geneva convention read together with its protocols,” Ramaphosa said.

“Let this meeting stand as a clarion call for us to combine our efforts and strengthen our actions to end this historical injustice.

“As individual countries, we have demonstrated our grave concern at the death and destruction in Gaza. Let us work together to realise a just, peaceful and secure future for the people of both Palestine and Israel.”

The meeting comes as members of the South African parliaments voted last week to have the Israeli embassy in Pretoria, the country’s capital, closed, and for the government to sever all ties with Tel Aviv.

In response, Israel announced on Monday night that its ambassador to South Africa had been recalled for “consultations”.

The leaders are expected to adopt a joint statement on the situation in the Middle East at the end of the meeting.