International representatives from Qatar meet with the International Criminal Court (ICC) head, contemplating potential legal retaliation against Israel.
In a significant development, Qatar's chief negotiator, Mohammed al-Khulaifi, met with the President of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Judge Tomoko Akane, in The Hague on Wednesday. The purpose of the meeting was to pursue legal action against Israel over its strike on Qatari territory last week.
The Qatari official, speaking anonymously, called the Israeli attack 'unlawful' and a violation of international humanitarian law. This strike targeted Qatari-based leaders of the Palestinian group Hamas, resulting in the reported death of at least five members of Hamas and an officer of Qatar's internal security force, according to the territory's health ministry. Hamas, however, claims that top officials of its political bureau, hosted in Qatar since 2012, survived the strike.
As an observer state at the ICC, Qatar cannot refer cases to the court directly. However, Khulaifi stated that his visit to the ICC chief was part of the work of the team tasked with exploring legal avenues to respond to the Israeli attack. The ICC has a history of prosecuting Israeli officials, with last year's launch of a prosecution of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for war crimes and crimes against humanity during Israel's war in Gaza. The prosecution includes charges of intentionally targeting civilians and using starvation as a method of war.
The ICC has also sought the arrest of Hamas commander Mohammed Deif, who has since been confirmed killed by Israel, and Israel's former defense minister Yoav Gallant.
The Israeli strike sent shock waves through the Gulf states that have long depended on the United States for their travel and security. After the emergency talks in Doha, the Arab and Islamic blocs, including the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), decided to take 'all possible legal and effective measures' to demand Israel to cease its actions.
It is worth noting that the Israeli tanks have reportedly caused a telecoms blackout in Gaza, which could be relevant to the broader context of the article.
The meeting in The Hague marks a significant step in Qatar's efforts to hold Israel accountable for its actions and emphasises the international community's growing concern over the ongoing conflict in the region.
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