South Africa calls for lasting peace as it welcomes Gaza ceasefire agreement

South Africa has welcomed the ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas after 15 months of a conflict that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and inflamed the Middle East.“South Africa calls for the implementation of a just and lasting peace that ensures the human rights of both Palestinians and Israelis are protected and promoted.“The ceasefire agreement is a crucial first step towards ending the severe humanitarian crisis faced by the 2.3-million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, which the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has deemed to be plausibly…