The Egyptian foreign ministry says the Arab country is intending to join a legal bid launched last year by South Africa against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) which accuses the regime of committing genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza.

The ministry said in a Sunday statement that Egypt will formally support South Africa’s genocide complaint against Israel at the ICJ because of the regime’s escalating military attacks on civilians in Gaza.

It said that “worsening severity and scope of Israeli attacks” against Palestinians in Gaza has created “an unprecedented humanitarian crisis” in the territory, adding that the regime’s systematic practices in Gaza has eventually displaced people by forcing them to leave their lands.

South Africa lodged a complaint against Israel in the ICJ in January, some three months after the regime launched its brutal aggression against Gaza. The complaint asked judges in the court to declare that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza and order the regime to stop its attacks on people.

The ICJ then issued an initial ruling ordering Israel to refrain from acts that could fall under the Genocide Convention. It issued another verdict in March ordering the regime to ensure that basic food supplies can reach people in Gaza.

Turkey and Colombia have also declared they are willing to join South Africa’s genocide case against Israel.

Egypt’s announcement comes amid an escalation in attacks by Israel on Gaza’s Rafah, a city which borders the Arab country and hosts a crossing by the same name which is responsible for a bulk of aid supply to the Palestinian territory.

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