International Criminal Court is a court which has international jurisdiction and which was established to try perpetrators of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression and to ensure accountability. The State of Palestine became party to the Rome Statute which is the founding document of International Criminal Court by recognizing the jurisdiction of International Criminal Court to be effective as of 13 June 2015 in order for the crimes committed in Palestine territory to be investigated and started prosecution process against Israel before 7 October.

While the process had been ongoing in International Criminal Court Israel's attacks against civilians have begun since 7 October 2023. Hospitals, educational institutions, places of worship, and tents were indiscriminately targeted and people of Gaza was subjected to acts of violence reaching the level of genocide. The acts of violence perpetrated in Gaza which has genocidal intent causes a dire humanitarian crisis in the region and the civilian population which is to be protected against the devastated effects of conflicts pursuant to international humanitarian law remains at the center of these attacks. Thousands of people especially women, older people, and children were killed, tens of thousands were injured and more than one million people were displaced.

International Criminal Court has announced that it will expand the scope of investigation following the events of 7 October. Within this context, five States Parties to the Rome Statute referred what is happening in Gaza to the Prosecution. International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan demanded that arrest warrants for Prime President of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu and ex-Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant be issued because there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity on 20 May 2024.

International Criminal Court made its decision regarding the arrest request dated 20 May 2024 on 21 November. In the said decision, arrest warrants for Prime President of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu and ex-Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant were issued because there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity. It also stated that Israel's rejection of the Court's jurisdiction does not constitute an impediment to the trial.

The Court's issuing arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant dated 21 November is seen as an important step in informing the world about the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Palestine and ensuring international criminal justice. As the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Türkiye, we welcome this decision. We once again condemn the systematic and widespread attacks carried out by Israel against the civilian population in Gaza, which constitute war crimes under the the Rome Statute, and call on the States parties to the Statute to implement the relevant decision and all actors of the international community to assume a more effective role against the ongoing human rights violations in the Palestinian territories.

Respectfully announced to the public.