South Africa’s Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor has blasted Israel’s spokesperson for accusing her government of “representing the interests of [the] Hamas terrorist organisation”.
In response, Ms Pandor told the BBC “Insults are the last resort of a scoundrel”.
Ms Pandor, who is in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, to attend the African Union summit, said the international community had a responsibility to bring the Israel-Gaza conflict to an end.
“It’s unconscionable that the world has allowed this to carry on for so long,” she said.
She added that the world needs to prepare for a “two-state solution”.
Relations between Israel and South Africa have been tense since South Africa filed a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza – a charge it has rejected.
The ICJ ruled that Israel should do everything in its power to avoid killing Palestinians and they should address the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Following the order, South Africa made an urgent request to the ICJ to consider whether Israel risks breaching the court orders.
Ms Pandor said South Africa will continue to “argue this onslaught on Palestinian people is designed to commit genocide”.
Israel took action after Hamas-led gunmen killed at least 1,200 people and seized 253 hostages in a surprise attack on its territory on 7 October.
It has pledged to eliminate Hamas and get the hostages returned.
More than 27,800 Palestinians have been killed and at least 67,000 injured by the war launched by Israel in response, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.