In an apparent challenge, the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, assured this Friday, April 26, that any decision made by the International Criminal Court (ICC), which is investigating the Israeli offensive in Gaza, will not affect the actions of his Army in the Palestinian enclave. His statements come on a day in which the troops of the Jewish-majority state continued their attacks, especially in Gaza City, in the north, and in Rafah, the southern city where most of the population takes refuge internally. displaced. Meanwhile, and despite the recent stalemate in talks, an Egyptian delegation arrived in Israeli territory in the last few hours to try to restart negotiations on a possible truce between Netanyahu's forces and the Hamas group.
In the last 24 hours alone, air and ground attacks by the Israeli Army in the Gaza Strip killed at least 511 people. Since the start of the ongoing war more than six months ago, 34,356 Palestinians have died, mostly civilians, including children.as reported by the Gaza Ministry of Health this Friday, April 26.
Israeli bombings also hit Rafah, a city at the southern end of the enclave, where most of the internally displaced population has sought refuge. Despite warning calls from the international community, Israel still threatens to attack that town by land, which would trigger an even greater humanitarian catastrophe, warn members of the international community, including the United States, Israel's greatest ally.
The Israeli Army attacks also reached the Nuseirat and Bureij refugee camps, in the center of the Strip, where they left several civilians injured, medical sources reported.
Meanwhile, in Gaza City in the north, warplanes bombed a house belonging to the Al Shawa family. Rescue teams managed to remove the lifeless bodies of three victims from the rubble, one of them a child and another a woman, the Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.
Netanyahu: ICC decisions will not affect Israeli actions
This Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu assured in a statement on Telegram that the Court's resolutions would not modify the actions of his Government.
“Under my leadership, Israel will never accept any attempt by the International Criminal Court in The Hague to undermine its legitimate right to defend itself,” the premier also published in X.
However, the Likud leader assured that although any decision by the high court “will not affect Israel's actions,” they will “set a dangerous precedent that threatens soldiers and public figures,” he added.
תחת הנהגתי, ישראל לעולם לא תקבל כל ניסיון של בית הדין הפלילי בהאג רער את זכותה הבסיסית להגן על עצמה.
האיום נגד חיילי צה״ל ואישי הציבור של ישראל, הדמוקרטיה היחידה במזרח התיכון והמדינה היהודית היחידה בעולם, הוא שערורייתי.
לא נכנע לו.
ישראל תמשיך עד לניצחון במלחמתנו הצודקת נגד…
— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) April 26, 2024
One of Israel's main television news outlets, Channel 12, reported last week that Israel was increasingly concerned about the possibility of the ICC issuing arrest warrants against Netanyahu and other senior officials for alleged violations of the law. International in Gaza.
According to the outlet, the prime minister's office had an “emergency discussion” about it.
The International Criminal Court of Justice (ICC) is currently investigating the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israeli soil and the Jewish-majority state's ongoing response offensive.
The case before the ICC is independent of South Africa's lawsuit against Israel, which it accuses of “genocide” at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).also based in The Hague.
Israel is not a member of the ICC, but the Palestinian Territories are. Karim Khan, prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, assured last October that, therefore, The Court has jurisdiction over any possible war crimes committed by Israel or Hamas.
Read also'No attack justifies genocide': South Africa accuses Israel before the ICJ
Egypt seeks to resume negotiations on Gaza truce
A week after Qatar announced that negotiations between Israel and Hamas were going through a phase of “stalemate” and that it would “reevaluate” its role as mediator, An Egyptian delegation arrived in Israel this Friday to try to restart them in search of a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages.
What there is is an attempt by Egypt to resume negotiations
According to an official source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, Israel has made no new proposals, but would be willing to consider a truce in exchange for the release of 33 hostages. The official explained that the truce in question would not be a ceasefire, but rather would last “definitely less than six weeks.”
“There are currently no ongoing talks between Israel and Hamas,” clarified the same source.
“What there is is an attempt by Egypt to resume negotiations with a proposal that would include the release of 33 hostages, women, the elderly and the sick.” According to Israeli Intelligence, there are still 133 hostages alive in Gaza.
On Thursday, April 25, the chief of the Israeli General Staff, Herzi Halevi, and the head of the Domestic Intelligence agency Ronen Bar visited Cairo, according to Israeli media.
Egypt's active role in the negotiations is partly explained by the potential flow of Palestinian refugees from Rafah into its territory, which would be even greater if Israel follows through on its threats of a military ground incursion into the city.
UN rapporteurs demand that Israel respect the Freedom Flotilla
The Freedom Flotilla, containing 5,500 tons of humanitarian aid destined for Gaza, plans to set sail from Istanbul this Friday. Faced with Israel's threats, three UN rapporteurs demanded that it allow the arrival of the fleet, with guarantees of safe transit, as part of its international obligations to prevent “a genocide.”
“Israel must comply with international law, including recent orders from the International Court of Justice, on ensuring the unhindered arrival of humanitarian aid.”Francesca Albanese, rapporteur for Palestine, Balakrishnan Rajagopal, rapporteur for housing, and Michael Fakhri, rapporteur for food, stated in a statement.
Also this Friday, the Israeli Army declared that it would consider a “provocation” any arrival of aid to Gaza that was not by air, land border crossings or the port of Ashdod, in response to a question from the EFE news agency about the blockade. administrative situation currently suffered by the Freedom Flotilla in Turkey.
The UN rapporteurs highlighted that The Freedom Flotilla “has the right to safe transit in international watersand Israel must not interfere with its freedom of navigation, long recognized by international law.”
The Freedom Flotilla arises from a civil initiative by groups of Human Rights activists. For the UN rapporteurs, it is a show of solidarity while States “are not fulfilling their obligation to stop the genocide and famine that Israel is causing in Gaza, or are even helping the Israeli army with weapons.”
Israel has attacked humanitarian aid fleets in the past. 10 aid workers were killed when Israel intercepted and attacked a similar humanitarian mission in international waters.
“Israel must take into account that the world is watching, and must refrain from any act of hostility against the participants,” the rapporteurs stated.
With AFP, EFE and Reuters
#Netanyahu #ICC #decisions #affect #Gaza #offensive #Egypt #resume #truce #talks