That is #JusticeForGaza: an initiative that aims to bring together diverse voices from international civil society, political leaders and representatives, and citizens from around the world to support the call for investigating the government of Israel for crimes of genocide and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in the Gaza Strip since 7 October 2023, as part of the International Criminal Court’s ongoing investigation against Israel for war crimes in the West Bank and Gaza. Crimes against the civilian population include daily indiscriminate bombings, including of civilian infrastructure such as hospitals, schools and shelters, in addition to the total siege and cutting off of water, food, electricity and fuel supplies, as well as the use of white phosphorus. This is in addition to forced displacement, psychological warfare, ethnic cleansing plans and the threat of a military offensive by land, sea and air by Israeli forces ever since.

Among them, the communication requests the investigation of:

Benjamin Netanyahu, current Prime Minister of Israel,

Yoav Galant, the current Minister of Defence of the Israeli government,

Benjamin Gantz, member of the political and security cabinet of the Israeli government,

Bezalel Smotrich, current Minister of Finance of the Government of Israel,

Itamar Ben Gvir, current Minister of Security of the Government of Israel,

Hertzi Halevi, current Chief of Defence Staff of the Israeli army,

among others.

For crimes of: 

Genocide (provided for in Article 6 of the Rome Statute); 

Crimes against humanity (provided for in Article 7 of the Rome Statute);

War crimes (provided for in Articles 8(2)(a) and 8(2)(b) and subparagraphs of the Rome Statute).

Given the gravity of the crimes documented and described in the communication, the alleged responsibility of the above-mentioned persons (among others) and the fact that the crimes are currently, repeatedly and intentionally being carried out, it is also considered that the prerequisites for the issuance of an arrest warrant against Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Galant exist.

The communication also calls for greater speed and decisiveness in the ongoing investigation into war crimes committed in the West Bank, including in East Jerusalem, and in Gaza, as well as the provision of financial and human resources for this purpose. This request to the Prosecutor’s Office is an initiative to end the impunity of the Israeli government for its crimes in Gaza. It takes place in a context of continued genocide, ethnic cleansing and siege against the Palestinian population trapped in the Strip, which today suffers the worst consequences of a colonisation that has lasted 75 years, decades of illegal occupation and years of blockade and apartheid against the Palestinian people. A conflict that will only be resolved with justice, peace, freedom and dignity for the whole of Palestine, from the river to the sea. This means demanding that Israel comply with international law and also means acting to end genocide, occupation, apartheid and the expansion of the colonial project of the State of Israel, as well as supporting the processes of accountability for those responsible for crimes against the Palestinian people. Today, more than ever, it is time to act.