JOHANNESBURG, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- The South African government has welcomed the ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas, calling it "a crucial first step" toward ending the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, said the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO).

The announcement was made after Israel and Hamas agreed to a Gaza ceasefire-for-hostages deal after intensive mediation efforts by Qatar, Egypt and the United States.

In a statement Wednesday night issued by the DIRCO, South Africa called for the implementation of "a just and lasting peace" that ensures the human rights of both Palestinians and Israelis are protected and promoted.

"The ceasefire agreement is a crucial first step toward ending the severe humanitarian crisis faced by the 2.3 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, which the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has deemed to be plausibly genocidal," it said.

The DRICO stressed in the statement that the ceasefire must lay the basis for a just peace which should include the establishment of "a contiguous, independent, and viable Palestinian state."

Meanwhile, the department noted that immediate and massive humanitarian aid is urgently needed to provide relief to civilians in Gaza. "All obstacles to the delivery of humanitarian aid must be lifted immediately and unconditionally, allowing civilians unrestricted access to essential food, water, shelter, and healthcare," it said.

The DIRCO also urged Israel to follow the rulings of the ICJ. "In accordance with the successive rulings of the ICJ, the provisional measures prescribed by the ICJ must be adhered to by the occupying power. International law and humanitarian law must be respected and upheld," it added.

In December 2023, South Africa approached the ICJ seeking an interdict for the court to compel Israel to halt attacks on Palestine and declare these acts as genocide. In January 2024, the UN court ordered Israel to take all possible measures to prevent acts of genocide and ensure humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip. Enditem

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