UN rapporteurs criticize ICC for being slow in prosecuting those responsible for Gaza war crimes

By Zehra Nur Duz

The UN special rapporteur on Palestine, Francesca Albanese, and UN special rapporteur on the right to adequate housing Balakrishnan Rajagopal criticized the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Sunday for being slow in prosecuting those responsible for war crimes committed by Israel in Gaza.

Albanese quoted a post on X from a Save The Children official saying “more than 10 children per day, on average, have lost one or both of their legs in Gaza since (the) conflict erupted three months ago.”

“Trials will also be needed. Criminals who have planned, ordered and executed such crimes must be brought to justice,” she said.

“National courts with jurisdiction over war crimes, CAH (crimes against humanity) & genocide must be activated, as the ICC is proving slow and ineffective on the situation of Palestine,” she added.

Rajagopal also shared a post on X to support Albanese's call, saying: “Yes we need action now. Today. ICC is proving to be too slow.”

UN rapporteurs and human rights organizations have called Israel's recent attacks targeting civilians in Gaza and acts of collective punishment “genocide.”

The failure of ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan to take preventive measures such as issuing arrest warrants against those responsible, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has been widely criticized by officials.

Israel has launched air and ground attacks on Gaza following a cross-border incursion by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Oct. 7 last year, killing at least 22,800 Palestinians and injuring more than 58,400 others.

Nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.

The Israeli onslaught has left Gaza in ruins, with 60% of the enclave's infrastructure damaged or destroyed, and nearly 2 million residents displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicines.