South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has strongly condemned the ongoing crisis in Gaza, calling it a “genocidal onslaught and slaughter of the people of Palestine.”
He compared the challenges faced by Palestinians to those that South Africans went through during their own turbulent history in a news release.
President Cyril Ramaphosa stated “After examining the plight of the Palestinians, we have observed parallels between their suffering and our own experiences as South Africans
He continued asserting the gravity of the situation unfolding in Gaza. “What is unfolding now, in Gaza, is beyond being unjust. It is genocidal, and that is why we are dubbing it as a genocide against a people and a collective punishment against innocent people,” he declared.
In response to the dire circumstances, President Ramaphosa called for an immediate ceasefire.
He highlighted the importance of putting a stop to what he sees as a genocidal attack, and he expressed the common obligation to avoid future suffering.
In a previous message, the South African government warned its people active or contemplating engagement in the Gaza conflict.
South Africa’s foreign ministry voiced grave worry about news that some of its citizens had joined the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to fight in Gaza.
The ministry stressed that such actions might potentially violate international law, subjecting those engaged to prosecution in South Africa.
According to reports, the State Security Agency (SSA) is actively looking for persons involved in this action.
