The Hague, May 13 (RHC)-- The Maldives says it will officially join South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), as the regime continues its genocidal aggression against 1.5 million people sheltering in Rafah, in southern Gaza.

In a statement on Monday, the government of Maldives “declared its intention to intervene in the case filed by South Africa against Israel at the ICJ.”  “The Government of Maldives is resolute in guaranteeing a lasting solution to the long suffering endured by the Palestinian people by any means necessary.”

Maldives also strongly condemned “the ongoing attacks on Rafah by Israel, which have led to an exacerbation of the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza,” the statement reads.  It said that the continuation of military aggression by Israeli occupying forces against innocent Palestinian civilians is a rampant breach of international human rights and humanitarian law.

Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza prompted South Africa to file a case against the regime in December 2023. In its application, South Africa said Israel's actions in Gaza were "genocidal in character."

Seated in The Hague, the ICJ ruled in January that “there is a plausible risk of genocide in Gaza and the continuing serious harm to civilians since then.”

The United Nations’ highest court ordered Tel Aviv to take all measures to prevent genocide in Gaza, but stopped short of ordering a ceasefire.  Ever since, several other countries have declared their intention to join the case, including Turkey, Libya and Egypt.

The Libyan Presidential Council said Sunday that it filed the declaration because it believes Tel Aviv has been engaging in genocide against the people of Gaza, since it started its bloody military campaign in October.

And the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Cairo intended to join the case at the ICJ due to escalating Israeli aggression against Palestinian civilians.  South Africa asked the ICJ last week to order Israel to withdraw from Rafah as part of additional emergency measures over the war.

In the filings published on Friday, South Africa said it was seeking additional emergency measures in light of the continuing military action in Rafah, the “last refuge” for Palestinians in Gaza.

The city in the south of Gaza is crammed with hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians living in dire conditions. UN officials continue to warn that an Israeli ground offensive in Rafah would trigger a humanitarian catastrophe for civilians.