Calls for ICC Action Against Israel for War Crimes in Gaza

Spain's minister of social rights, Ione Belarra, has called on the Spanish government to petition the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for war crimes. Belarra cited the ongoing aerial bombardment of the Gaza Strip and the blockade preventing humanitarian aid as reasons for the investigation. While Israel is not a member state of the ICC, the top prosecutor has stated that war crimes committed by both Hamas and the Israeli government fall under the court's jurisdiction. The Israeli government's assault on Gaza has been described as collective punishment, resulting in thousands of deaths and a dire humanitarian crisis. Belarra also criticized the complicity of European governments and the United States in supporting Israel's actions.