One of many residential buildings in Gaza targeted by Israeli forces. Source: Ali Hamad of APAimages for Wafa, Wikimedia Commons.
Qatar is calling for a thorough investigation into Israeli war crimes in Gaza, with the country’s Prime Minister calling for an “immediate, comprehensive and impartial international investigation.”
Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani told Al Jazeera that Qatar would also continue efforts to facilitate another truce and establish a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
The week-long Israel-Hamas truce, which ended on Friday last week, resulted in the release of 80 Israeli hostages in exchange for 240 Palestinians imprisoned in Israel.
Throughout the truce, Palestinians in the West Bank, including children, were killed by Israeli soldiers.
Minutes after the truce ended, Israel intensified its bombardments of the Gaza strip, killing 700 Palestinian civilians within just 24 hours.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, over 15,500 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed in Israel’s most recent assaults on the besieged enclave since the 7th of October.
The chief prosecutor for the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan, has said his office will increase investigations into potential war crimes.
Khan visited Israel and the occupied West Bank on Sunday, saying: “All actors must comply with international humanitarian law. If you do not do so, do not complain when my office is required to act.”
“Credible allegations of crimes during the current conflict should be the subject of timely, independent examination and investigation.”
The ICC is the only independent court in the world which is set up to investigate the most serious offences, including war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity.
Back in 2021, the ICC launched another investigation into Israel as well as Hamas and other militant groups in the area regarding possible war crimes.
Khan also said that aid must be immediately allowed into Gaza, and previously said that the blocking of aid to civilians could also constitute a war crime.
“On humanitarian access, the law does not allow for doubt,” he said. “Civilians must have access to basic food, water and desperately needed medical supplies, without further delay, and at pace and at scale.”
Israel, which is not a member of the ICC, has previously rejected the court’s jurisdiction.
