TRANSCRIPT
After visiting the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza, the International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor says he has his work cut out for him when it comes to investigating allegations of war crimes.
Prosecutor Karim Khan says he hopes to visit Gaza and Israel as part of his mission.
"We're independently looking at the situation in Palestine, we are looking at the events in Israel and the allegations that Palestinian nationals have also committed crimes. We need cooperation. We need assistance, but we're going to have the determination, the stamina and the professionalism to make sure we separate allegation from fact. That we can look at the evidence, investigate incriminating and exonerating evidence equally."
The ICC has been investigating the actions of Israeli and Palestinian authorities since 2014.
Mr Khan says blocking aid supplies to Gaza's population may constitute a crime under the International Criminal Court's jurisdiction.
"And most fundamentally at this moment, underline the fact that there should not be any impediment to humanitarian relief supplies going to children, to women and men, civilians. They are innocent. They have rights under international humanitarian law. These rights are part of customary international law, these rights are part of the Geneva Conventions. And they give rise to even criminal responsibility when these rights are curtailed under the Rome Statute. This must be a moment where we share our humanity."
Since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, the number of people killed - mostly civilians - has grown to more than 9,000.
Israel says 1,400 were killed on October the 7th, while the health ministry in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip says at least 8,000 are dead.
Internet and phone connectivity were restored for many people [[on Sunday]] after Israeli strikes had knocked out most communications in the territory for more than 24 hours.
It also stopped the arrival of aid trucks, after more than 80 trucks entered the area last week.
That number is far short of what is needed, according to aid groups.
In search of food, thousands of Palestinians broke into United Nations warehouses to grab flour and basic hygiene products.
Juliette Touma, from the United Nations relief agency for Palestinian refugees, says the scenes at the warehouses show people's despair.
"This is an indication that people in Gaza have reached a breaking point. The levels of desperation, their frustration, their fear, their concern. They have been living under a tight, tight siege for more than three weeks. Bombardments continue. They have lost so much. They are grieving themselves. They have become displaced. So the levels of frustration and despair are really very high."
In southern Gaza, Rami Al-Erqan has taken shelter inside a tent with his young daughter.
He says their fervent wish is for the war to stop.
“We have suffered a lot, we cannot bear what’s happening to us, we cannot handle any more, even mountains wouldn’t bear what we’re going through. Our life is torture, we wait in line for three hours to use the toilet, can a child like this wait for three hours for a turn to go to the toilet? Can a child wait for bread? They ask me for bread, I tell them to go to the bakery, where do I get bread? It’s catastrophic."
Aid group Save the Children says the time for a ceasefire is now, as the reported killings of children in Gaza by the Israeli military surpasses 3,200 in the last three weeks.
The charity says that number exceeds the annual number of children killed in war zones since 2019.
Calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza have been backed by Pope Francis and U-N Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
"I regret that instead of a critically needed humanitarian pause supported by the international community, Israel has intensified its military operations. The number of civilians who have been killed and injured is totally unacceptable. All parties must respect their obligations under international humanitarian law. That law emerged from the tragedy and awful experiences of war. I've always been consistent in my call for strict compliance of the well-established principles and the rule of international humanitarian law."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the three-week Israel-Hamas war is a fight for Israel's existence, declaring it has entered a "second stage".
"We are going to fight for the homeland and we won't withdraw. We are going to fight on the ground, at sea and in the air. We will destroy our enemy above and below the ground, we are going to fight and win."
He says the government is doing what it can to free at least 239 hostages taken by Hamas during the October 7 attacks.
That hasn't satisfied the families of the hostages, some of whom are calling for a prisoner swap: the trade of about 5,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails for the hostages taken by Hamas.
Others say they would oppose a prisoner swap that would include members of Hamas.
The release of four hostages in recent days has come as a relief to families waiting for news on the other hostages.
Twenty-four-year-old Noam Laon is the boyfriend of one of the hostages, Inbar Haiman.
He says he has concerns about the government's statements that freeing the hostages is a goal on par with defeating Hamas.
"We know when we see that they are speaking about two goals for this operation, one is to bring all the hostages and the second is to destroy Hamas. As her boyfriend I am really afraid that these two goals are in conflict with each other, that they cannot be achieved together. I think that first the hostages should be free, (even) if it is by a deal to release all the Palestinian prisoners, to get all the hostages alive and safe."
Meanwhile, Iran's President says Israel's offensive has "crossed the red lines, which may force everyone to take action".
In a statement, Ebrahim Raisi, said: "Washington asks us to not do anything, but they keep giving widespread support to Israel".
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan has warned of an "elevated risk" for the war expanding into a broader Middle East conflict.
"Well, the president has been very straightforward on this. If American troops are attacked by Iran and its proxies, we will respond. We did respond. If attacks continue, we will respond. And I think the Iranians understand our message. And we, of course, are taking every measure necessary to protect our forces, to increase our vigilance, and to work with other countries in the region to try to keep this conflict, that is currently in Israel and Gaza, from spinning out into a regional conflict. But the risk is real and therefore our vigilance is high and the steps that we are taking to deter that and prevent that are serious, systematic and ongoing."
