Washington opposes the International Criminal Investigation into Israel's practices in Gaza

The United States expressed its opposition to the International Criminal Court’s investigation into Israel’s practices in Gaza, amid reports that Israeli officials fear that the court will issue arrest warrants against them, after it conducted interviews with workers in the two largest hospitals in Gaza.

White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said, “It is not within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court to issue rulings against Israeli officials.”

Yesterday (Monday), in a briefing, commenting on the possibility of the International Criminal Court issuing an arrest warrant against Israeli officials for committing “massacres” in Gaza, the spokeswoman added that the position of the United States has not changed with regard to the International Criminal Court’s investigation, saying: “We do not We support it and believe it is not within its jurisdiction.”

Testimonies from Gaza

Meanwhile, Reuters quoted two sources as saying that prosecutors from the International Criminal Court conducted interviews with workers at the two largest hospitals in Gaza, in the first confirmation that investigators from the court spoke to paramedics about possible crimes in the Gaza Strip.

The two sources, who requested to remain anonymous, said that court investigators obtained testimonies from employees who worked at Al-Shifa Hospital, the main medical center in Gaza City in the northern Gaza Strip, and from others who worked in Nasser Hospital, the main medical center in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip.

One of the sources said that events that occurred in hospitals may become part of the investigation conducted by the court, which is hearing criminal cases against individuals accused of war crimes and others against humanity, as well as genocide and aggression.

The Office of the Prosecutor of the Court declined to comment on operational issues in ongoing investigations, citing the need to ensure the safety of victims and witnesses.

During the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, the two main hospitals in Gaza were pivotal targets for the Israeli forces that besieged and stormed them, and committed massacres against civilians in them.

"Israeli fears"

Last Sunday evening, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs spoke in a statement about “rumors” about the possibility that the International Criminal Court might issue “arrest warrants against senior Israeli political and military officials.”

On Wednesday, Hebrew media circulated reports indicating the possibility of the International Criminal Court issuing international arrest warrants against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Galant, and Chief of Staff Herzi Halevy, against the backdrop of Israeli practices during the war on the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli occupation forces continue the war on Gaza despite the Security Council issuing a resolution to stop the fighting immediately, and despite the issuance of instructions from the International Court of Justice to take immediate measures to prevent acts of “genocide” and improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

For 17 years, Israel has besieged the Gaza Strip, and its war forced about two million of its residents, numbering about 2.3 million Palestinians, to be displaced in catastrophic conditions.