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South Africa praised a World Court ruling on Friday that ordered Israel to stop its military assault on Rafah, a city in southern Gaza.

The International Court of Justice supported South Africa's request, filed a week prior, to halt Israel's offensive, responding to accusations of genocide, which Israel denies.

Zane Dangor, director-general of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, called the ruling "ground-breaking" as it explicitly orders Israel to stop military actions in Gaza. President Cyril Ramaphosa's office welcomed the decision but expressed concern that the UN Security Council had not effectively alleviated the suffering in Gaza.

"The case focuses on the ordinary Palestinians in Gaza facing their seventh month of collective punishment," Ramaphosa's office stated. In contrast, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office rejected South Africa's allegations, calling them false.

Israel argues that its operations target Hamas militants and are acts of self-defence following an attack on October 7.