Qatar’s prime minister said the country would continue its efforts to facilitate another truce and achieve a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
Qatar’s prime minister said his country was calling for an “immediate, comprehensive and impartial international investigation” into what he called Israeli crimes in Gaza.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani also told Tel Aviv Tribune on Sunday that Qatar would continue its efforts to facilitate another truce and achieve a permanent ceasefire in the besieged enclave.
A week-long truce between Israel and Hamas – brokered by Qatar with support from Egypt and the United States – led to the release of 80 Israeli prisoners in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners.
The truce ended Friday, with both sides accusing each other of violating the terms of the agreement.
The prospect of a new truce in Gaza looked bleak on Saturday after Israel withdrew its Mossad negotiators from Qatar, while Hamas’ deputy leader told Tel Aviv Tribune it would not hold new talks on the swap of Israeli prisoners against imprisoned Palestinians.
Since Friday, Israel has intensified its attacks on Gaza, with a government media official telling Tel Aviv Tribune that 700 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks over the past 24 hours.
According to Gaza’s health ministry, 15,523 Palestinians have died in the enclave since the war began on October 7 – more than 70 percent of them women and children.
ICC to step up war crimes investigation
Meanwhile, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan, called on Israel and Hamas to respect international law, saying his office would step up investigations into possible war crimes.
“All actors must respect international humanitarian law. If you don’t, don’t complain when my office is required to act,” Khan said Sunday as he concluded his four-day visit to Israel and the occupied West Bank.
Khan stressed that his visit was “not investigative in nature” but said he was able to speak to victims on both sides of the conflict.
“Credible allegations of crimes committed during the current conflict should be subject to independent and timely review and investigation,” he said.
Established in 2002, the ICC is the world’s only independent tribunal charged with investigating the most serious crimes, including genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. In 2021, it opened an investigation into Israel as well as Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups for possible war crimes in the Palestinian territories.
Khan also called for humanitarian aid to be immediately admitted to Gaza, adding that Hamas must not abuse this aid.
“Regarding humanitarian access, the law allows no doubt,” he said. “Civilians must have access to the basic food, water and medical supplies they desperately need, without further delay, at pace and at scale. »
He had previously said that blocking the delivery of aid to Gaza could also constitute a war crime falling within the jurisdiction of the ICC.
Israel, which is not a member of the ICC, has previously rejected the court’s jurisdiction and is not formally engaging in the case.
