Spain’s foreign minister announced on 6 June that it would ask the UN court for permission to join South Africa’s case accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza.

Spain is the first European country to take the step since South Africa filed a case at the International Court of Justice late last year, accusing Israel of violating the Genocide Convention in its military offensive that has devastated large parts of Gaza.

Mexico, Colombia, Nicaragua, Libya and Palestine have already requested to join the case.

The court has ordered Israel to immediately halt its military offensive on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, but has stopped short of ordering a ceasefire in the area. Israel has not complied.

“We have made this decision because of the ongoing military operation in Gaza,” Spain’s Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albarez said. “We want peace to return to Gaza and the Middle East, and for this to happen we must all support the court.”

Israel has denied it is committing genocide in its military campaign to crush Hamas following deadly attacks on October 7 in southern Israel.

Hamas has killed 1,200 people in surprise attacks and taken more than 250 hostage. Israeli air and ground attacks have killed 36,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians.

Spain, Norway and Ireland formally recognised the Palestinian state on May 28 as part of a coordinated effort by three Western European countries to increase international pressure on Israel.