South Africa stands in solidarity with the Palestinians and advocates for a peaceful resolution to the conflict in the Middle East that upholds the rights and interests of both the Palestinian and Israeli peoples, said President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Speaking on the sidelines of the national executive committee meeting of the African National Congress (ANC) in Boksburg, Ramaphosa reiterated his party's support for the people of Palestine, who are currently confronted with "the most tragic and dangerous situation."
He noted that South Africa understands the struggles of the Palestinians and supports "their cause unashamedly."
"As people and an organization that has struggled against an oppressive system of apartheid we do pledge solidarity with the Palestinians," the president said, stressing: "We have always made our position clear, we have always been in alliance with the people of Palestine."
Ramaphosa said the government had expressed its condolences to both Israel and Palestine following the deaths of scores of people, particularly civilians. He stressed that South Africa stands firmly by the principles of international law, recalling that even in its struggle for sovereignty, "the issue of civilians was a clear exclusion."
"We extend our condolences to the families of the civilian victims during the recent clashes on both sides [Gaza Strip and Israel]," he said.
According to South Africa's president, the primary approach to resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is to implement the two-state solution and thus establish "an independent Palestinian state."
He highlighted the importance of achieving a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict, adding that it would have a positive impact on the Middle East as a whole. Ramaphosa noted that the escalation could go beyond the borders of Israel and Palestine and engulf the entire region "in a conflict that the world least deserves at this point in time."
"As the ANC we have always [...] insisted that the only solution for problems in the Middle East, particularly between Israel and Palestine, is a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders as approved by the world community and the UN," he underscored.
Ramaphosa also expressed concern about the potential deterioration of the humanitarian situation following Israel's order for 1.1 million Gazans to vacate northern Gaza and relocate to the southern region within 24 hours.
On October 7, the Gaza-based movement, Hamas, launched its Operation Al-Aqsa Flood in response to continued attacks by Israeli armed forces and settlers against the Palestinian people, their property, and their religious sites. The following day, Israel declared a state of war and unleashed retaliatory strikes on Gaza.
Subsequently, Israel imposed a complete blockade of the Gaza Strip, which is home to over 2 million people, cutting off the supplies of water, food, and fuel. Both Israel and Palestine have reported over 1,300 deaths and thousands of injuries due to the escalation.