Palestinian Rights Groups Appeal to ICC for Genocide Investigation Against Israel; Israel Alleges Hamas War Crimes

Palestinian groups Al Haq, Al Mezan and the Palestine Human Rights Campaign accuse Israel of war crimes and genocide over Gaza bombings, a claim that Israel deems "deplorable"; the ICC to assess both sets of evidence, including Israel's claims against Hamas.

• Three Palestinian human rights groups, Al Haq, Al Mezan and the Palestine Human Rights Campaign, have appealed to the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing Israel of war crimes, including genocide, by conducting bombings and a siege on Gaza.
• The groups also claim that the Israeli airstrikes on densely populated civilian areas of Gaza, the siege of the territory and the displacement of the local population amount to crimes against humanity and incitement to genocide.
• Israel, which is not a member of the Hague-based ICC and doesn't recognize its jurisdiction, refutes the allegations and labels them as 'deplorable', insisting that its actions targeted Hamas militants and not civilians. Israel is also compiling evidence for crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed by Hamas.
• In response to a Hamas cross-border raid on southern Israel on October 7, where gunmen reportedly killed 1,400 people (mostly civilians) and took about 240 hostages, Israel launched an assault on Gaza. Palestinian officials allege that the Israeli response has since resulted in the deaths of more than 10,000 people in Gaza.
• Both the allegations by the Palestinian groups against Israel, and those by Israel against Hamas, will be assessed by the ICC, which can investigate nationals of non-member states under certain circumstances, such as when the accused crimes have taken place in member states' territories. The Palestinian territories are listed as ICC members.

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