Qatar Calls For International Probe Into ‘Israeli Crimes’ in Gaza

Qatar has called for an international investigation into the Israeli crimes in Gaza. The airstrikes have killed hundreds of people and injured thousands more. Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said that the airstrikes were a “war crime” and that Israel must be held accountable for its actions.

Qatar’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, has called for an “immediate, comprehensive, and impartial international investigation” into what he referred to as Israeli crimes in Gaza. He emphasized this stance, stating that Qatar remains committed to efforts aimed at facilitating another truce and achieving a permanent ceasefire in the besieged Gaza Strip.

The call for an international probe comes in the aftermath of a week-long Israel-Hamas truce brokered by Qatar, with support from Egypt and the United States. The truce led to the release of 80 Israeli captives in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners. However, the truce concluded on Friday, with both sides accusing each other of violating the conditions of the agreement.

Despite initial diplomatic efforts, the prospect of a renewed truce appears uncertain as Israel withdrew its Mossad negotiators from Qatar. Additionally, Hamas’s deputy leader conveyed that further talks on the exchange of Israeli captives for Palestinian prisoners would not take place.

Heartbreaking Numbers

Since the truce ended, Israel has escalated its attacks on Gaza, reporting the death of 700 Palestinians within the last 24 hours, as stated by a government media official. According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, a total of 15,523 Palestinians have died in the enclave since the conflict began on October 7, with over 70 percent of them being women and children.

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During the escalating violence, the International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, urged both Israel and Hamas to adhere to international law. He announced the intention to intensify investigations into potential war crimes, emphasizing that credible allegations during the current conflict should undergo timely, independent examination.

Furthermore, Khan called for the immediate entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, emphasizing that Hamas must not misuse such aid. He stressed that obstructing the delivery of aid could potentially constitute a war crime under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.

Israel, not being a member of the ICC, has historically rejected the court’s jurisdiction and does not formally engage with it.