Dozens of filings expected to flood ICC and cause delays in Gaza war case
Nearly 60 governments and other parties will be allowed to file legal arguments to the International Criminal Court (ICC) as judges consider whether to issue arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas officials.
Judges granted permission to 18 states – including the US, Germany and South Africa – as well as 40 organisations and individuals to submit documents by August 6.
They are related to ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan’s request in May for arrest warrants in relation to the Hamas attacks on southern Israel on October 7 and the ensuing Israeli war on Gaza. The new legal arguments are expected to severely slow the decision by the three-judge panel.
The United Kingdom recently questioned if the ICC has jurisdiction over Israeli nationals because of provisions in the Oslo Accords.
Israel’s targeting of UNRWA unacceptable, says Turkey
The Turkish Foreign Ministry has condemned the Israeli parliament’s efforts to define the UN agency for Palestinian refugees as a “terrorist” organisation.
“It is unacceptable for Israel to describe UNRWA as a terrorist organisation after targeting civilians sheltering in UNRWA schools in Gaza and killing nearly 200 UN employees in the last nine months,” it said in a statement.
“We invite the international community to raise their voices against attacks on UNRWA and to support the agency,” it added.
The Knesset on Monday gave preliminary approval to a bill that declares the agency a “terrorist” organisation and proposes to sever relations with the body. Israeli forces have repeatedly struck UNRWA-run schools in Gaza sheltering displaced people, while the agency’s headquarters have been flattened.
Iran calls for ban on Israel from Paris Olympics
The Iranian Foreign Ministry has demanded the exclusion of Israeli athletes from the Olympic Games starting in Paris this week over the war on Gaza.
Israel’s delegation, which headed to France on Monday in advance of Friday’s opening ceremony, is being tightly protected in the French capital amid growing international outrage over the high civilian casualty toll and unfolding humanitarian crisis in the besieged and bombarded Palestinian territory.
“Announcing the reception and protection of the apartheid terrorist Zionist regime’s delegation means giving legitimacy to the child killers,” the ministry said in a post on X.
“They do not deserve to be present at the Paris Olympics because of the war against the innocent people of Gaza,” it added, calling on organisers to ban Israel.
