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A6 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 1 February 2024

South Africa says Israel is already ignoring U.N. court ruling

ordering it to prevent deaths in Gaza

By GERALD IMRAY and SE- nothing to stop the civilian
BABATSO MOSAMO casualties in Gaza and said
Associated Press similar inaction contributed
PRETORIA, South Africa to the horrific death toll
(AP) — Israel has ignored in the genocide in Rwan-
the ruling by the U.N.’s top da in 1994, when more
court last week by killing than 800,000 people were
hundreds more civilians in slaughtered in the East Af-
a matter of days in Gaza, rican country.
South Africa’s foreign min- “We are allowing this to
ister said Wednesday, add- happen again, right be-
ing that her country has fore our eyes, on our TV
asked why an arrest war- screens,” Pandor said.
rant for Israeli Prime Minis- The court’s ruling is binding
ter Benjamin Netanyahu on Israel, and the country
has not been issued in a could face U.N. sanctions
case South Africa filed at if it is found to be breach-
the separate International ing its orders, although any
Criminal Court. sanctions may be vetoed
Foreign Minister Naledi Pan- by close ally the United
dor said South Africa would States.
“look at proposing other Netanyahu has said that
measures to the global Israel “will continue to do
community” in a bid to stop Smoke rises following an Israeli bombardment in the Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel, what is necessary to de-
Israel killing civilians dur- Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. fend our country and de-
ing its war in Gaza against Associated Press fend our people.” Israel
Hamas militants, but didn’t mit a report on steps taken more Palestinians have It says the majority of the says the offensive is aimed
go into details. to abide by the ruling within been killed, according to dead are women and chil- at destroying Hamas after
The preliminary ruling by a month. figures from the Health Min- dren. its Oct. 7 attacks on Israel
the U.N.’s International A top official in South Af- istry in Hamas-run Gaza. “I can’t be dishonest. I be- that killed some 1,200 peo-
Court of Justice in South Af- rica’s foreign ministry has The ministry said Wednes- lieve the rulings of the court ple, mostly civilians.
rica’s case accusing Israel said the country hopes that day that 150 people were have been ignored,” South Israel says it has abided by
of genocide in Gaza or- Friday’s ruling, and whether killed in the territory in the Africa’s foreign minister international law and is do-
dered Israel to do all it can Israel is abiding by it, will be last 24 hours, bringing the said. ing its best to minimize civil-
to prevent death, destruc- discussed on a wider level total number of Palestinian “Hundreds of people have ian casualties in Gaza.
tion and any acts of geno- at the United Nations, possi- deaths in the war to more been killed in the last three It says it has killed more
cide against Palestinians bly as early as Wednesday. than 26,700. or four days. And clearly Is- than 9,000 militants and
in the territory. It stopped Since the ruling, Israel has The Health Ministry’s count rael believes it has license accuses Hamas of embed-
short of ordering a cease- continued its military offen- does not differentiate be- to do as it wishes.” ding in civilian areas, mak-
fire. It also ruled Israel must sive, which it says is aimed tween combatants and ci- Pandor said there was a ing it difficult to avoid civil-
urgently get basic humani- at Hamas, and hundreds vilians. danger of the world doing ian casualties.q
tarian aid to Gaza and sub-

Cyprus-led sting operation busts illegal European immigration ring

that arranged sham marriages

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) with the more than 130 Two individuals, aged 37
— Cyprus officials said sham marriages, including and 24 respectively, were
Wednesday they led a Eu- circulating forged docu- arrested in Cyprus. The
ropol-organized sting op- ments and assisting in ille- other two, aged 45 and 46,
eration that dismantled an gal entry into the country. were taken into custody
international criminal ring Police in Cyprus, Portu- abroad on the strength of
facilitating illegal immigra- gal and Lithuania initiated a European arrest warrant.
tion and residency in Euro- the joint sting operation A Cyprus court on Wednes-
pean Union countries using dubbed “Operational Task day ordered the 13 sus-
dozens of sham marriages Force Limassol” on Jan. 29. pects to remain in custody
on the east Mediterranean They conducted simultane- until Feb. 7. Proceedings
island nation. ous searches in targeted to extradite the remain-
Police said the sham mar- homes and arrested 13 sus- ing two in Portuguese and
riages involved women pects in Cyprus, one in Por- Lithuanian custody were
from Portugal and Lithuania tugal and another in Lithu- underway.
and men from India, Ban- ania. Europol coordinated
gladesh and Pakistan. Ac- Cypriot authorities said four the sting operation and People enjoy the sun and the sea in the southern port city
cording to police, the ring of those suspects are be- provided funding and of Limassol on the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus,
was implicated in a host of lieved to be the ring’s mas- intelligence.q Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024.
illegal activities associated terminds. Associated Press