ICC chief prosecutor says Israel made ‘no real effort’ to probe Gaza crimes

The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has justified the organization’s issuance of arrest warrants for the prime minister of Israel and the former defence chief, stating that Israel did not investigate the allegations of war crimes on its own.

In an interview with the Reuters news agency on Thursday, Karim Khan stated that the ICC had not observed “any sincere attempt” by Israel to take “measures that align with the established legal standards,” expressing his hope for a change in the situation. Last November, ICC judges issued arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant for purported war crimes and crimes against humanity during Israel’s conflict with Gaza.

An Israeli inquiry might have resulted in the case being returned to Israeli courts based on the so-called complementary principles. Khan stated that Israel could still show its readiness to conduct an investigation, even following the issuance of warrants.

This appears improbable as Israel has dismissed the authority of the ICC located in The Hague, refuting war crimes despite its evident inability to examine the allegations. The United States, Israel’s primary ally, is likewise not a member of the ICC. Last week, the US Congress decided to impose sanctions on the court in response to the warrants, which Khan labeled as “unwanted and unwelcome.” Khan remarked that Israel possessed excellent legal expertise but had failed to utilize its judges, prosecutors, and legal tools “to effectively examine the accusations we’ve observed in the occupied Palestinian territories.”

Khan’s remarks followed a day after Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza after over 460 days of conflict. Facing pressure from hardliners within his administration, who argue that the war has failed to eliminate Hamas, Netanyahu postponed important meetings of the security cabinet and the cabinet that were scheduled to vote on the agreement on Thursday.

On Friday, Netanyahu’s office announced that approval was forthcoming, with the security cabinet set to vote on the ceasefire agreement that day, preparing for government ministers to provide their final approval in a complete cabinet meeting.

Nonetheless, a report  indicated that the second meeting will take place only on Saturday night, with complete ratification occurring after a required 24-hour period for raising objections, which raises the likelihood that the ceasefire will not commence on Sunday as originally intended. “He maneuvered and attempted to delay it and to stall because his primary aim is to maintain his government’s cohesion. “However, it is obvious now that he can no longer maneuver,” he stated.