MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Spain has filed a lawsuit with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to join South Africa in its lawsuit against Israel over alleged genocide in the Gaza Strip, the ICJ said on Friday.

“Spain, invoking Article 63 of the Statute of the Court, filed 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),” the court said in a statement.

Spain relies on its status as a party to the Genocide Convention to intervene in the proceedings. Spain is the latest country to formally accuse Israel of genocide in the Gaza Strip, joining thirteen other countries including Palestine.

In response to South Africa’s initial lawsuit against Israel in December 2023, the ICJ ordered provisional measures in January 2024 to prevent acts of genocide and ensure humanitarian aid flow to Gaza. Spain’s involvement marks another significant development in this ongoing legal battle.