The Palestinian Foreign Ministry called for International Criminal Court To issue an arrest warrant for the Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich Because of his call to starve two million Palestinians in Gaza to death.
This request came after the US-backed Israeli war, which lasted for more than 10 months, resulted in the martyrdom and injury of more than 131,000 Palestinians, most of whom were children and women, in addition to the loss of more than 10,000 people.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry considered Smotrich's statements an expression of genocidal policies, noting that these statements were not condemned by the Israeli Prime Minister's government. Benjamin Netanyahu.
She also stressed that what Smotrich said constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and human rights.
Accordingly, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry called on the International Criminal Court to take immediate action against Smotrich, and called on the international community to condemn this position and boycott the Israeli minister.
Smotrich stated that “no one will allow us to cause the death of two million civilians from hunger, even if it is just and moral, until our hostages are returned,” according to Israel's Channel 12.
The minister reiterated his opposition to any ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement with the Palestinian factions in Gaza, saying, “I believe they should not be released… They will go back to killing Jews.”
International condemnations
Smotrich's extremist statements sparked international reactions, with condemnation being levelled at… European Union These statements were considered a war crime.
This came in a statement by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrellwho considered these statements “shameful and contemptuous of international law and humanitarian principles.”
Borrell stressed that deliberately starving civilians is a war crime, calling on the Israeli government to clearly disavow Smotrich's statements.
He added that the European Union expects Israel to be transparent regarding the reported torture in prisons, especially Sde Teiman prison.
Borrell expressed concern about conditions in Israeli prisons amid reports of serious violations, including sexual assaults on Palestinian prisoners.
He also urged Israel to implement Security Council resolutions and orders issued by the International Court of Justice to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches Gaza without hindrance, pointing to the harsh conditions experienced by Palestinian civilians in the Strip.
The European Union reiterated its call for an immediate ceasefire, stressing the importance of releasing all “hostages” and increasing the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
