The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan, announced that five countries, signatories to the treaty establishing the ICC, have requested an investigation into the “situation in the State of Palestine.”

Khan confirmed that his office had initiated an investigation into the matter.

At least 1,200 people in Israel were killed, mostly civilians, with the majority falling on the first day of an unprecedented Hamas attack since the establishment of the Israeli state in 1948. Additionally, approximately 240 Israelis and foreigners were abducted and transferred into the Gaza Strip.

In response, Israel launched a relentless air, ground, and sea assault on Gaza. According to the health ministry in the Gaza Strip, Israeli strikes resulted in the deaths of around 12,000 people.

Karim Khan stated, “My office has received a request to investigate the situation in the State of Palestine from the following five States Parties: South Africa, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Comoros, and Djibouti.”

He added in a statement, “Upon receipt of the request, my office confirms that it is currently conducting an investigation into the situation.”

The International Criminal Court initiated an investigation in 2021 into alleged war crimes in the Palestinian territories, including crimes suspected to have been committed by Israeli forces, Hamas, and other armed Palestinian factions.