BAGHDAD

Iraq voiced support on Thursday for South Africa’s genocide lawsuit at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Israel over its deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip. 

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein met with South African Finance Minister Enok Godongwana on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

During the meeting, Hussein hailed South Africa’s support for the Palestinian cause and commended its lawsuit at the ICJ accusing Israel of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Talks between the two sides took up ways of boosting bilateral cooperation, especially in the fields of economy and trade, the ministry said.

Godongwana, for his part, reiterated his country's support for the Palestinians and its rejection of any violations against them in the Gaza Strip.

Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas, which Tel Aviv says killed around 1,200 people.

At least 24,620 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and 61,830 others injured, according to Palestinian health authorities.

The Israeli offensive has left 85% of Gaza’s population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure was damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala