New York - Cairo: Europe and the Arabs
In front of the Rafah crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court said that his office was conducting active investigations into “the crimes allegedly committed in Israel on October 7,” and also regarding the situation in Gaza and the West Bank. He described the current period as the most tragic days. According to Mamcher, the official website of the United Nations
In a video posted on the court’s account on the X platform, Mr. Karim Khan stressed the need to ensure that “people living in fear and terror” enjoy equal rights to obtain protection under international law. He said his office was determined to ensure that these rights were defended wherever possible and where it had jurisdiction.
The Public Prosecutor noted that his jurisdiction dates back to 2014. “This is a moment of objectivity,” he said, adding that he is independently looking into the situation in Palestine, the events that took place in Israel, and “allegations that Palestinian citizens also committed crimes.”
Khan stressed the importance of cooperation and assistance with his office. He added: “We will have the determination, the fortitude and the professionalism to ensure that we separate the allegations from the truth, and that we can look at the evidence and investigate incriminating and exculpatory evidence equally. Most importantly, at this moment, we emphasize the fact that there should be no obstacle to "Humanitarian relief supplies reach children, women and men, civilians. They are innocent, and they have rights under international humanitarian law."
The ICC Prosecutor said that the international architecture built on the ruins of World War II was intended to create institutions that would ensure that “we will never again see atrocities in which people can be targeted because of their race, religion, culture, where they come from or the passport they hold, and must Fulfill those promises.”
Khan was speaking from the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing with Gaza, expressing his hope that he would be able to enter the Strip and also go to Israel.
He said this should be a moment "in which we share our humanity: Jews, Muslims, Christians, non-Jews, and atheists. Let's find common ground to think together about children and civilians. They are part of us, and we are part of them."

Court jurisdiction
On 3 March 2021, the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court announced that it would begin an investigation into the situation in Palestine. The investigation covers crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court that were allegedly committed since 13 June 2014, the date indicated in the referral of the case to the Office.
This came after the Court’s First Chamber decided, by majority, that the International Criminal Court can exercise its criminal jurisdiction in the situation in Palestine, and that the territorial scope of that jurisdiction extends to include Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
It is noteworthy that the International Criminal Court is an independent court and is not part of the United Nations system.