南非於2023年12月29日對以色列提起訴訟，正式名稱為《防止及懲治滅絕種族罪公約》在加沙走廊的適用（南非訴以色列）（英語：Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel)）[1]，指以色列涉嫌違反1948年《防止及懲治危害種族罪公約》和國際法中有關加沙走廊巴勒斯坦人的義務。南非提交的起訴書指控「以色列在長達75年的種族隔離、對巴勒斯坦領土長達 56 年的佔領以及對加沙長達16年的封鎖[2][3]。」南非已請求國際法院（ICJ）採取臨時保護措施[4][5]。
阿克薩洪水行動發生後，以色列開始轟炸加沙走廊，一些巴勒斯坦人表示擔心報應行為將被以色列合理化對巴勒斯坦人的種族滅絕[15]。哈馬斯發動襲擊後，以色列總理內塔尼亞胡曾兩度發表過「勿忘聖經中亞瑪力人的惡行」的言論，亞瑪力人是聖經中猶太人的宿敵，聖經撒母耳記上15:3撒母耳說道：「現在你要去擊打亞瑪力人、滅盡他們所有的、不可憐惜他們、將男女、孩童、喫奶的、並牛、羊、駱駝、和驢盡行殺死[16]。」以色列軍士兵亦響應內塔尼亞胡，他們熱烈地邊跳舞邊高唱「殺掉亞瑪力後裔」和「沒有無辜的平民」的行為被拍下並公開到抖音上[17]；以色列國防部長約夫·加蘭特表示，「我們正在與人類動物作戰，我們正在採取相應行動」（We are fighting human animals, and we are acting accordingly）[18]。以色列農業部長阿維·迪希特（Avi Dichter）在12頻道上呼籲將這場戰爭將演變成「加沙走廊的大災難（Nakba）」 [19]；另一位利庫德集團的國會議員阿里爾·卡爾納（Ariel Kallner）在社交媒體上寫道，「一個目標：大災難！這場大災難將超過1948年的大災難。加沙的大災難，以及任何敢於混攪於其中的人的大災難（one goal：Nakba! A Nakba that will overshadow the Nakba of [1948]. Nakba in Gaza and Nakba to anyone who dares to join）[20]。以色列大屠殺歷史學家奧馬爾·巴托夫警告說，以色列高官的言論「很容易被解讀為表明具有種族滅絕意圖」[21]。
Maupas, Stéphanie. Israel-Hamas war: South Africa brings 'genocide' case before international courts. Le Monde.fr. 2024-01-01 [2024-01-06]. （原始內容存檔於2024-01-06）. 'Long years of apartheid'... The South African lawyers have relied on UN reports, reports by Palestinian journalists and research by NGOs, because Israel prevents the international press from entering the Gaza Strip, as well as investigators from the International Criminal Court and the UN Human Rights Commission. They added that this genocide is committed "against a background of apartheid, expulsion, ethnic cleansing, annexation, occupation, discrimination and ongoing denial of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination."
Powell, Anita. South Africa to Take Israel to Top UN Court on Genocide Claim in Gaza. Voice of America. 2024-01-05 [2024-01-06]. （原始內容存檔於2024-01-06）. In the court application, South Africa argues that the treatment of Palestinians also bears strong resemblance to South Africa's own racially motivated apartheid regime, which ended in 1994 with Mandela's election. "It is important," the submission reads, "to place the acts of genocide in the broader context of Israel's conduct towards Palestinians during its 75-year-long apartheid, its 56-year-long belligerent occupation of Palestinian territory and its 16-year-long blockade of Gaza, including the serious and ongoing violations of international law associated therewith, including grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention, and other war crimes and crimes against humanity."
The request for provisional measures is made under Article 74 of the Rules of the Court （頁面存檔備份，存於互聯網檔案館）, which states that "A request for the indication of provisional measures shall have priority over all other cases."
