ICC prosecutor warns against intimidation of court and staff
The International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor’s office has warned that action could be taken against those “threatening to retaliate” or attempting to “impede or intimidate” its officials.
On Sunday, Israel expressed concern that the ICC could be preparing to issue arrest warrants for senior political and military officials on charges related to the conduct of its war on Gaza. The court has given no indication that warrants are imminent and has made no comment on the claims.
And while today’s warning from the ICC does not name any specific cases, it comes after Netanyahu called the possible arrests “a scandal on a historic scale”. He also said any ICC decisions would not affect the actions of Israel, which is not a member of the court.
In a statement posted on X, the ICC prosecutor’s office said that threats against the court or its staff could “constitute an offence against the administration of justice under Art 70 of the Rome Statute”.
It added: “The office insists that all attempts to impede, intimidate or improperly influence its officials cease immediately.”
Statement of the #ICC Office of the Prosecutor pic.twitter.com/Cw331pMcDm
— Int'l Criminal Court (@IntlCrimCourt) May 3, 2024
US Defense Secretary: No indication Hamas planning to attack American troops
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has said that he hasn’t seen “any indications” that there is an “active intent” from Hamas to attack US troops.
“Having said that … this is a combat zone and a number of things can happen, and a number of things will happen,” Austin said at a press briefing.
There are some 1,000 US troops currently supporting the construction of a temporary pier off the coast of Gaza. The pier, which is set to open in the coming days, will increase the flow of humanitarian aid into the besieged enclave.
President Joe Biden ordered US personnel not to set foot on Gaza’s shoreline during the pier’s construction.
Have there been any credible reports of Hamas attacking aid convoys? The IDF keeps saying that while actually targeting aid convoys and anyone protecting them. Yeah US personnel better stay off shore not to get hit by the IDF. An 'accident' is bound to happen like with WCK and then the US has an even bigger problem if US soldiers get hurt by the IDF.
Exporting oppression
Israeli firms sold invasive surveillance tech to Indonesia: Report
An international investigation by human rights workers and news media has found that at least four Israeli-linked firms have been selling invasive spyware and cyber surveillance technology to Indonesia, which has no formal diplomatic ties with Israel and is the world’s most populous Muslim nation.
“Highly invasive spyware tools are designed to be covert and to leave minimal traces,” it said in the report. “This built-in secrecy can make it exceedingly difficult to detect cases of unlawful misuse of these tools against civil society, and risks creating impunity-by-design for rights violations.”
It said this was of “special concern” in Indonesia where civic space had “shrunk as a result of the ongoing assault on the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association, personal security and freedom of arbitrary detention”.
Food access in Gaza ‘slightly better’: WHO
There is marginally more food available throughout Gaza, including in the north, but the risk of famine has not passed, says the World Health Organization (WHO).
Compared with a few months ago, there is “definitely … more basic food, more wheat, but also a little bit more diversified food on the market,” said Rik Peeperkorn, the WHO’s representative in the Palestinian territories, during a video media conference.
Food access is also improving in the north, he said, where residents had previously been pushed to eat animal feed or weeds to stay alive, and at least 27 people, including 23 children, starved to death.
Still, the food situation in Gaza remains fragile and many people lack the money to pay for food in the markets, emphasised Ahmed Dahir of the WHO’s Gaza sub-office team.
“We cannot say the risk [of famine] has passed,” Dahir added.
