DZWatch.net reports on the recent submission to the ICC prosecutor by a French lawyer and hundreds of organizations, demanding an investigation into the alleged genocide in Gaza and related Israeli crimes , Gaza Genocide Inquiry
A French lawyer, representing over a hundred organizations and nearly 300 colleagues, has called upon the International Criminal Court (ICC) to initiate an investigation for alleged genocide in Gaza. This submission, presented to the ICC’s prosecutor, urges a thorough examination of the full extent of crimes committed on October 7 by Hamas, including the horrific massacre of Israeli babies, children, women, and other civilians on the edge of the Gaza Strip.
The signatories of the dossier argue that the Israeli response should be scrutinized as potential genocide and other crimes within the jurisdiction of the ICC’s founding treaty. Gilles Devers, the lawyer leading this initiative, told the AFP that after a detailed analysis, their findings align with the legal definition of genocide, citing the deprivation of medical care, food shortages, lack of clean water access, forced displacements, and inhuman bombardments on a civilian population, combined with dehumanizing rhetoric.
Endorsement for this action also comes from various international bodies and groups, including AFD International in Brussels, Artists for Peace in Canada, Palestine Committees, and the Jewish Union for Peace. Algerian President Abdelmajid Tebboune has expressed Algeria’s support for this call on November 6. While any individual or group can submit a dossier for investigation to the ICC prosecutor, it’s at the discretion of the court, headquartered in The Hague, to decide on its pursuit, Gaza Genocide Inquiry
The dossier defines genocide based on jurisprudence as an act that aims to deliberately target a group due to specific reasons within a state policy framework, where the group as a whole is intended to be destroyed. It further elaborates on the notion of denying the right to existence of human groups.
Additionally, another French lawyer has submitted a communication to the ICC prosecutor on behalf of three Palestinian NGOs, accusing intentional genocidal intent, incitement to genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, requesting the issuance of arrest warrants for those deemed responsible. It is noted that Israel is not a member of the ICC.
DZWatch.net continues to monitor the developments of these allegations and the international legal processes that may follow.
