France on Tuesday backed the independence of the International Criminal Court (ICC) for arrest orders sought by its prosecutor for leaders from Israel, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Hamas, as per media reports.
ICC prosecutor Karim Khan had sought arrest warrants for the leaders in the Israeli war cabinet, and Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar, said to be the mastermind behind the October 7 attacks in Israel and Ismail Haniyeh, the overall political head of Hamas.
Khan had announced on Monday that he had asked for arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for crimes including "wilful killing," "extermination and/or murder," and "starvation" during the Gaza invasion.
Khan said that Hamas officials, including Qatar-based Ismail Haniyeh and Gaza Chief Yahya Sinwar, "bear criminal responsibility" for their actions during the October 7 attack. He mentioned "taking hostages," "rape and other acts of sexual violence," and "torture."
Relating to this key development in the ongoing Israeli-Gaza invasion, France’s foreign ministry issued a statement, saying, “France supports the International Criminal Court, its independence, and the fight against impunity in all situations.”
The French foreign ministry also condemned the "anti-Semitic massacres perpetrated by Hamas" during the group's attack on Israel on October 7, which were "accompanied by acts of torture and sexual violence."
However, the statement also said that it (France) had constantly warned Israel “of the need for strict compliance with international humanitarian law, and in particular of the intolerable level of civilian fatalities in the Gaza Strip and restrictions on humanitarian access.”
While the United States has advocated firm support for Israel in the ongoing invasion, Karim Khan went on to say Israel had committed "crimes against humanity" and launched a "widespread and systematic attack on the Palestinian civilian population...
"International law and the laws of armed conflict apply to all," Khan stated. "No foot soldier, no commander, no civilian leader — no one — can act with impunity."
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