Namibian President Hage Geingob said Germany has failed to learn the lessons of its own “horrific history” of genocide committed in Namibia.

Namibia has criticised Germany’s “shocking decision” to support Israel in the genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) brought by South Africa.

President Hage Geingob expressed “deep concern with the shocking decision communicated by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany” in a statement issued on X by Namibia’s Presidential Office late on Saturday.

Given Germany’s history of committing the 20th century’s first genocide in Namibia, Geingob said that Germany was still unable “to draw lessons from its horrific history”.

“Ignoring the violent deaths of over 23,000 Palestinians in Gaza and various United Nations reports disturbingly highlighting the internal displacement of 85% of civilians in Gaza amid acute shortages of food and essential services,” the statement said.

It came just hours after Germany’s ambassador to the United States, Andreas Michaelis, announced via X that his country would intervene on Israel’s behalf in the ICJ case brought against it.

Israel’s relentless and indiscriminate onslaught on the besieged Gaza Strip has killed over 23,843 people – 70% of which were women and children – and injured more than 60,317.

International human rights observers estimate a far grimmer death toll, taking into account casualties trapped under the rubble which search and rescue teams are unable to safely access.

According to the latest impact report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on the worsening situation in Gaza, 2.2 million Palestinians in the besieged enclave are battling the immediate risk of famine.

OCHA added that despite scores of Palestinians who have been injured by Israeli missile fire, just 36 hospitals were functional – and even still, only partially.

This is compounded by a lack of access to much-needed medicines, medical equipment, fuel and clean water.

According to OCHA, Gaza’s northern governorates have no access to clean water at all.