The South African government said on Monday it would recall all its diplomats from Israel to “signal” its concern over the situation in Gaza.
A minister in the president’s office, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, told a press briefing: “The South African government has decided to withdraw all its diplomats in Tel Aviv for consultation,”
South Africa’s decision comes as Israeli forces pushed on with intense strikes targeting Palestinian militants in Gaza with the war nearing one month and the Hamas-run health ministry’s death toll approached 10,000 inside the besieged territory.
Determined to destroy Hamas whose October 7 attack left 1,400 dead in Israel and saw over 240 hostages taken, Israel Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed no letup despite mounting international calls for a ceasefire.
Ground forces have flooded the northern half of the Gaza Strip and tightened an encirclement of Gaza City even as hundreds of thousands of civilians remain there despite Israeli evacuation orders.
Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry on Monday said more than 200 people had died in “overnight massacres” – a day after reporting a total death toll of more than 9,770, mostly women and children.
Israel’s ally, the United States, has sent its top diplomat Antony Blinken on a whirlwind Middle East tour that has been marked by strong condemnation of Israel, including on his latest stop, Turkey.
The heads of major United Nations (UN) agencies issued a joint statement calling for a ceasefire inside the territory of 2.4 million people where an Israeli siege has cut off most water, food and fuel supplies.
“For almost a month, the world has been watching the unfolding situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory in shock and horror at the spiralling numbers of lives lost and torn apart,” said the statement released Sunday.
“We need an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. It’s been 30 days. Enough is enough. This must stop now.”
Israel’s army said Monday it had pounded Gaza with “significant” new strikes, having earlier said it had already hit over 12,000 targets.
Israeli army spokesman, Jonathan Conricus said, “We will take the fight to Hamas wherever they are – underground, above ground”, repeating calls for civilians to leave the urban war zone.
“We will be able to dismantle Hamas, stronghold after stronghold, battalion after battalion, until we achieve the ultimate goal, which is to rid the Gaza Strip – the entire Gaza Strip – of Hamas”.
