ICC rejects Israel’s appeal to halt war crimes investigation over Gaza

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has delivered a clear response to Israel regarding alleged war crimes committed during the Gaza war.

According to international media reports, the ICC Appeals Chamber has rejected Israel’s appeal seeking to suspend the investigation into alleged war crimes committed against Palestinians in Gaza.

The rejection of Israel’s appeal is being described as a significant setback to Israel’s legal strategy, which aimed to derail the case.

Judges of the ICC Appeals Chamber upheld the lower court’s decision that allows the ICC prosecutor to continue investigations into alleged war crimes committed during Israeli attacks on Gaza.

Following this ruling, the ICC’s investigation related to Palestine will continue.

As a result of this process, arrest warrants were issued in November last year against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Israel has consistently refused to recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction and has denied allegations of war crimes in Gaza.

It is noteworthy that these investigations relate to Israeli military operations launched after Hamas’s attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023.