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4 March 2026

Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel)

Paraguay files a declaration of intervention in the proceedings under Article 63 of the Statute of the Court

THE HAGUE, 4 March 2026. On Tuesday 3 March 2026, Paraguay, invoking Article 63 of the Statute of the Court, filed in the Registry of the Court a declaration of intervention in the case concerning Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel).

Pursuant to Article 63 of the Statute, whenever the construction of a convention to which States other than those concerned in the case are parties is in question, each of these States has the right to intervene in the proceedings. If a State exercises this right, the construction given by the judgment of the Court will be equally binding upon it.

In availing itself of the right of intervention conferred by Article 63, Paraguay relies on its status as a party to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide of 9 December 1948 (the ¡°Genocide Convention¡±). Paraguay considers ¡°Articles I, II, III, IV, V and VI of the Genocide Convention to be in question¡± in the case, and focuses in particular on Article II of the Convention.

In accordance with Article 83 of the Rules of Court, South Africa and Israel have been invited to furnish written observations on the declaration of intervention.

The full text of Paraguay¡¯s declaration of intervention is available below.

To learn more about all ICJ cases related to the question of Palestine, click here to visit the dedicated webpage.