He said: “I am deeply concerned about the bombing of Rafah by the Israeli army” (Document)
Gaza:
The International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor expressed deep concern on Monday about a possible Israeli ground offensive against Gaza Sharafah, warning that anyone who violates international law will be held accountable.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Karim Khan said his office’s investigation into the incident in Gaza “is being conducted as a matter of utmost urgency.”
“I am deeply concerned by reports of Israeli military bombardments and potential ground invasion of Rafah,” he said.
The International Criminal Court launched an investigation in 2021 into possible war crimes committed by Israel, as well as Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups in the Palestinian territories.
Khan has previously said the investigation now “expands to the escalation of hostilities and violence since the attack on October 7, 2023”.
“All wars have rules and the laws applicable to armed conflicts cannot be interpreted as empty or meaningless,” he said.
“This has been my consistent message, including from Ramallah last year. Since then, I have not seen any noticeable change in Israel’s behavior,” he said.
Established in 2002, the International Criminal Court is the world’s only independent court dedicated to investigating the most serious crimes, including genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
It is a “court of last resort” that only steps in when states are unwilling or unable to investigate a case themselves.
“As I have repeatedly stressed, those who do not comply with the law should not file complaints after my office takes action under its authority,” Khan warned.
“To all involved: My office is actively investigating any suspected criminal conduct. Those who violate the law will be held accountable.”
Khan called for the release of all hostages held by Hamas: “This is also an important focus of our investigation.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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