"South African Leader Accuses Israel of War Crimes, While Putin and Xi Take Cautious Stance"

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa accused Israel of war crimes and genocide in Gaza during a virtual meeting of leaders from developing countries, while also condemning Hamas for its attack on Israeli civilians. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping called for a ceasefire and the release of civilian hostages but did not criticize either side as strongly as Ramaphosa. The meeting, which included leaders from Brazil, India, and other countries, discussed the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Ramaphosa called for the International Criminal Court to prosecute those responsible for war crimes and for the deployment of a UN force to monitor the ceasefire. South African lawmakers later voted in favor of shutting down the Israeli Embassy and cutting diplomatic ties with Israel until a ceasefire is agreed upon.