Amal Clooney, a renowned legal expert, has joined the ranks of those urging the chief prosecutor of the world’s leading war crimes court to pursue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and key figures within the militant Hamas group.
In a letter published on Monday on the website of the Clooney Foundation for Justice, Amal Clooney, the human rights lawyer and wife of actor George Clooney, shared her involvement in the recommendation for International Criminal Court chief prosecutor Karim Khan to seek warrants. According to Clooney, she and other international law experts came to a unanimous agreement on this matter.
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On Monday, Khan declared his intention to hold both Israeli leaders and Hamas accountable for what he believes are war crimes committed during the seven-month war in Gaza.
“I joined this Panel because of my strong belief in upholding the rule of law and safeguarding the lives of civilians,” expressed Clooney. “The legal framework that ensures the protection of civilians during times of war has been established over a century ago and applies universally, irrespective of the motives behind a conflict.”
According to Clooney, the panel consisted of experts in international humanitarian law and international criminal law, including two former judges from criminal tribunals in The Hague, where the ICC is headquartered. Their decision was unanimous, and they further shared their recommendation through an op-ed published in the Financial Times.
At the ICC, a panel of three judges will deliberate on whether to issue the arrest warrants and proceed with the case. Usually, it takes the judges approximately two months to reach a decision on such matters.
In his recent announcement on Monday, Khan pointed out that Netanyahu, along with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and three Hamas leaders – Yehia Sinwar, Mohammed Deif, and Ismail Haniyeh – are being accused of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity within the Gaza Strip and Israel.
Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders strongly criticized the action, labeling it as disgraceful and antisemitic. U.S. President Joe Biden also expressed his disapproval of the prosecutor’s decision and affirmed Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas.
Israel’s non-membership in the court means that Netanyahu and Gallant are not immediately at risk of prosecution even if arrest warrants are issued. However, the potential for arrest could pose challenges for the Israeli leaders when it comes to international travel. It is worth noting that Hamas is already recognized as an international terrorist group by the Western nations.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas escalated on October 7th, as militants from Gaza infiltrated Israel, resulting in the tragic loss of approximately 1,200 lives, predominantly innocent civilians. Additionally, they also took 250 individuals hostage.
Israel has been engaged in a relentless effort to dismantle Hamas in Gaza, resulting in a devastating campaign. According to Gaza health officials’ latest estimates, over 35,000 Palestinians have lost their lives in the conflict, with women and children accounting for at least half of the casualties. It is important to note that Gaza health officials do not differentiate between civilians and Hamas militants in their figures.
The ongoing conflict in Gaza has resulted in a dire humanitarian crisis, with approximately 80% of the population being displaced and hundreds of thousands of individuals facing the imminent threat of starvation, as reported by U.N. officials.
