Investigation by International Court into War Crimes for Ipal Hostage Kidnapping and Civilian Attacks

South Africa, Bangladesh, and 3 Other Member States Demand Investigation

The International Criminal Court (ICC) will launch an investigation into possible war crimes related to the war between Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas. The investigation will cover Hamas' hostage-taking and Israel's attacks on civilians.

According to major foreign media on the 17th (local time), Karim Khan, ICC Prosecutor, stated in a press release that five ICC member states?South Africa, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Comoros, and Djibouti?have requested an investigation into the situation in Palestine.

Accordingly, Prosecutor Khan explained that the existing investigation, which began in March 2021 regarding incidents in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, will be expanded to include the hostilities and violent acts that have escalated since Hamas' attack last month.

He said the investigation team has collected a substantial amount of evidence related to recent war incidents and has requested the submission of additional evidence. He also added, "We will continue efforts to visit Palestine and Israel to meet survivors, hear the opinions of civil society organizations, and communicate with relevant parties."

Regarding Israel not being an ICC member state, he stated, "We request that all relevant parties fully cooperate with the investigation team."

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released photos on the 17th showing soldiers patrolling in Gaza City, located in the northern Gaza Strip, on the 16th (local time). The IDF announced that they have fully taken control of Gaza City. [Source=Xinhua Yonhap News]

The South African Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which requested the ICC investigation, emphasized that the ICC must prioritize the situation in Palestine to punish war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, urging other ICC member states to join the call for an investigation.

Amid the war between Hamas and Israel triggered by Hamas' surprise attack on the 7th of last month, families of Palestinian civilians killed by Israeli attacks, as well as families of hostages abducted by Hamas, are demanding an ICC investigation.

Fran?ois Zimmeray, the lawyer for nine hostage families demanding ICC warrants against Hamas leadership for war crimes and genocide, disclosed the submission of related documents and said, "The investigation is underway."

Regarding the prospects of Israel, a non-ICC member state, being held accountable, Zimmeray expressed hope, saying, "There are people in Israel who trust the court, the investigation team, and the prosecutor's sincerity," adding, "This will help demonstrate that the court can punish crimes against victims and their families."

The ICC was established in response to the 1990s genocides in Rwanda and Bosnia to prosecute crimes against humanity such as genocide and war crimes. It is the world's first permanent international criminal court established under an international treaty (the Rome Statute).

Legal experts, according to foreign media, believe that both Hamas and Israel could face war crimes charges related to the current situation. Israel stated that 1,200 civilians were killed and 239 abducted in the surprise attack by Hamas armed forces on the 7th of last month, while the Gaza Strip Ministry of Health, controlled by Hamas, reported that 12,000 people have died due to Israeli attacks since then.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.