Buenos Aires Herald 
Chile filed a request to join South Africa’s case that accuses Israel of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Thursday.
“We can’t be indifferent,” said President Gabriel Boric on Friday.
South Africa’s case, filed in December 2023, demands that Israel cease its military actions against the civilian population in Gaza, contending that its actions violate the 1948 Genocide Convention.
In response, the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to take action to prevent acts of genocide in the Gaza conflict in January. Brazil and Colombia backed South Africa’s position that same month. Chile’s request made it one of 15 countries to apply or declare their intention to join the case. Israel has denied accusations of genocide.
“The international community must do everything it can to stop the massacre in Gaza,” wrote Boric in an X post showing the official request. The Chilean president had already announced that the country would apply to intervene in June.
The request was filed by Chilean Ambassador to the Netherlands Jaime Moscoso. The document urges the ICJ to pay special attention to statements by top Israeli officials “who have made calls to kill all individuals living in Gaza” or “to ignore the civilian status of individuals living in Gaza,” as well as dehumanizing remarks.
In a communiqué released on Thursday, the Chilean Foreign Ministry said that “direct, public incitement to commit genocide is a crime on its own […] even if it doesn’t cause the effect desired by the perpetrator, if the following events are not a direct cause of those remarks, and if there is no genocidal action caused by them.”
The unprecedented attack by Hamas on October 7 killed nearly 1,200 people in Israel, mostly civilians. According to Israeli tallies, around 240 people were taken hostage, including 20 Argentines. In response, Israel pledged to “annihilate” Hamas, in power in the Gaza Strip. Its ensuing military campaign has left the Palestinian enclave in ruins, killed more than 40,000 people, and injured over 95,000, according to Palestinian health authorities.
Argentina has not expressed interest in joining the ICJ legal proceedings and bucked its diplomatic tradition in May by voting against Palestine becoming a full member of the United Nations in a General Assembly vote. In June, the Argentine Foreign Ministry co-signed a ceasefire proposal which had been developed by the United States and Israel and sent to Hamas.
