In a letter published on the website of the Clooney Foundation for Justice, Amal Clooney, a renowned human rights lawyer and the wife of actor George Clooney, shared her involvement in recommending International Criminal Court chief prosecutor Karim Khan to pursue arrest warrants. Along with other international law experts, she expressed unanimous agreement on this matter.
On Monday, Khan declared his intention to do so, stating that both Israeli leaders and Hamas have committed war crimes during the seven-month war in Gaza.
Related posts
“I joined this Panel because my belief in the rule of law and the importance of safeguarding civilian lives compelled me,” Clooney expressed. “The principles that safeguard civilians during times of war were established over a century ago, and they are applicable in every nation, irrespective of the reasons behind a conflict.”
According to Clooney, the panel was made up of experts in international humanitarian law and international criminal law. She mentioned that two of the panel members were former judges at criminal tribunals in The Hague, where the ICC is located. Clooney noted that the decision of the panel was unanimous. Additionally, the panel published an op-ed in the Financial Times, discussing their recommendation.
In his recent announcement on Monday, Khan directly accused Netanyahu, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and three key Hamas leaders, Yehia Sinwar, Mohammed Deif, and Ismail Haniyeh, of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in both the Gaza Strip and Israel.
The recent conflict between Israel and Hamas erupted on October 7th, when militants from Gaza infiltrated Israel, resulting in the tragic loss of approximately 1,200 lives, primarily innocent civilians. Additionally, 250 individuals were taken hostage during this distressing incident.
Israel has been engaged in a relentless mission to dismantle Hamas in Gaza, resulting in a devastating toll on the Palestinian population. As per the latest estimates from Gaza health officials, 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 these figures do not differentiate between civilians and Hamas militants.
The war in Gaza has resulted in a severe humanitarian crisis, forcing approximately 80% of the population to flee their homes. As a result, hundreds of thousands of people are now on the verge of starvation, as reported by U.N. officials.
