Amnesty International announced on Monday their call for an urgent investigation into alleged war crimes committed by Israel in Gaza. The non-profit organization highlighted two instances where they maintain that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out bombings on non-military targets, characterizing these actions as showing a consistent pattern of disregard for Palestinian civilians.
In the first case, said to have occurred on October 19, Amnesty International asserts that the St. Porphyrius Greek Orthodox Church was bombing while around 450 civilians sought shelter within. The church officials, in their statement, reinforced that the religious compound was being used solely as a refuge. The second case concerned the bombing of a residence in the al-Nuseirat refugee camp, located in Central Gaza. There were an estimated 46 civilian fatalities between both bombings, which included 20 children.
A provision in the Rome Statute suggests that the International Criminal Court (ICC) may step in to investigate potential war crimes if a state does not initiate its own investigations. Israel signed the Rome Statute in 2000 but has since withdrawn its membership.
The IDF has disputed these war crimes allegations. In a public press release, they detailed how Hamas allegedly positions military operations and equipment close to, or within, civilian structures. The IDF cited specific scenarios like rocket launch pads being incorporated into a playground. Subsequently, Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant appealed to Gaza’s civilians to steer clear of these “terror hotspots,” according to a statement he posted.
Since 2021, the ICC has been scrutinizing potential war crimes committed during the Israel-Hamas conflict in 2014. Recently, a coalition of five countries submitted a petition to extend the investigation to purported war crimes since the Hamas’ assault on Israel on October 7.
Notably, Amnesty International also accused Hamas militants of war crimes during their attack on Israel on October 7.