The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan, issued a stark warning on Sunday, suggesting that obstructing the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza could potentially be considered a criminal act.
Khan's remarks came during a news conference held in Cairo following his visit to the Rafah crossing in Egypt, a critical lifeline for essential goods desperately needed in the Gaza Strip.
"Impeding relief supplies as provided by the Geneva Conventions may constitute a crime within the court's jurisdiction," Khan stated.
His words carry considerable weight, as the ICC is the only global independent tribunal responsible for investigating the most heinous of crimes, including genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The situation at Rafah crossing, which serves as the primary conduit for international aid into the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, has grown increasingly dire.
Trucks filled with crucial humanitarian assistance have been immobilized, stranded in Egypt and unable to reach their intended destination.
"I saw trucks full of goods, full of humanitarian assistance, stuck where nobody needs them, stuck in Egypt, stuck at Rafah," Khan lamented. "These supplies must get to the civilians of Gaza without delay."
This blockade has occurred in the wake of a near-total siege on Gaza, imposed by Israel in response to an incursion by Hamas gunmen that led to a tragic loss of life and the seizure of hostages, according to Israeli officials. The relentless Israeli bombardment since then has taken a heavy toll on Gaza's civilian population, with over 8,000 casualties, half of them children, according to the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry.
Since aid deliveries resumed through the Rafah crossing on Oct. 21, only 117 trucks have entered Gaza.
This starkly contrasts the pre-siege era, when 500 trucks laden with aid and essential goods entered Gaza daily.
Khan's message was unambiguous.
He directed his attention to Israel, emphasizing the need for immediate and discernible efforts to ensure that the civilians in Gaza receive basic necessities, such as food and medicines.
The situation in Gaza has become increasingly desperate. The United Nations recently voiced concerns about a potential breakdown of public order following looting at food aid centers run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the situation as "growing more desperate by the hour" as casualty numbers rise and essential supplies of food, water, medicine and shelter dwindle.
In addition to addressing the current situation in Gaza, Karim Khan noted the ICC's ongoing investigation into "any crimes committed on the territory of Palestine," irrespective of the perpetrator.
This includes events in both Gaza and the West Bank.
Furthermore, Khan expressed deep concern over the rise in reported incidents of attacks by settlers against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank, a territory occupied by Israel since 1967.
Khan concluded his remarks by stressing that hostage-taking constitutes a breach of the Geneva Conventions and called for the immediate release of all hostages taken from Israel.
He highlighted that both Israel and Hamas have clear obligations concerning the laws of conflict.
"Israel has clear obligations in relation to its war with Hamas, not just moral obligations but legal obligations," Khan stated, underscoring that these principles equally apply to Hamas in their use of indiscriminate rocket fire into Israel.