Pretoria, South Africa - October 07, 2024

The South African government and public have once again urged an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the recognition of Palestine as a sovereign state, on the one-year anniversary of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Since the eruption of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on Oct 7 last year, South Africa has repeatedly called for the cessation of hostilities in Gaza and release of Israeli hostages held captive in the besieged enclave, while expressing its support for the Palestinian people's cause.

On Dec 29, 2023, South Africa brought a case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in which it accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and pleaded with the UN's top court to order an immediate halt to Israel's military offensive.

In a landmark ruling on July 19, the ICJ declared that Israel's occupation of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, along with the associated settlement regime, annexation and use of natural resources, is unlawful.

However, some other South African experts say that the case that was brought by South Africa at the ICJ did not quite have the desired impact because the conflict in Gaza has not slowed down.

At a press conference in Pretoria on Monday, South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola called for efforts to avoid the conflict from spilling over further in the Middle East and the recognition of Palestine as a sovereign state.

Shotlist:
Pretoria, South Africa - Oct 7, 2024:
FILE: Pretoria, South Africa - June 19, 2024
1. National flag of South Africa;
FILE: Johannesburg, South Africa - Jan 10, 2023
2. Cityscape;
Pretoria, South Africa - Oct 7, 2024
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Reitumetse Phiri, legal analyst (starting with shot 2):
"Ultimately, what South Africa aims is to firstly confirm that what Israel is doing in Gaza is genocidal, and secondly is to elevate that conversation into the proper levels of the United Nations.";
Gaza Strip - October 2024
4. Aerial shots of flattened buildings;
Gaza City, Gaza Strip - Oct 6, 2024
5. Various of displaced Palestinians fleeing;
FILE: Gaza Strip - Date Unknown
6. Various of refugee camp for displaced Palestinians;
Pretoria, South Africa - Oct 7, 2024
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Ronald Lamola, South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation (starting with shot 6/ending with shot 8):
"We reiterate our condemnation of the incident and continue to call for the release of all hostages who are still held in captivity. And we reiterate that the only solution to this raging conflict is a permanent ceasefire, which leads to the recognition of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital, the allowance of humanitarian aid in the area, including de-escalation of the conflict in all the areas, including Lebanon and Iran.";
FILE: Israel - Nov 1, 2022
8. Various of Israeli Parliament Knesset.

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