First Palestinian ICC filing against Hamas seeks war crimes arrests

A group of lawyers representing a Palestinian man from Gaza has submitted a formal filing to the International Criminal Court (ICC), calling for investigations into Hamas leaders over alleged crimes committed against Palestinians.

The 40-page submission asks the ICC prosecutor to investigate 14 Hamas leaders and consider issuing arrest warrants for crimes allegedly committed against Palestinian civilians, News.Az reports, citing The Jerusalem Post.

 It was presented as the first case brought by a Palestinian against Hamas, marking a rare legal move within ongoing ICC proceedings related to the Gaza war.

The filing was prepared by attorneys Elliot Malin and Sarah Scialom, alongside former US Justice Department war crimes prosecutor Eli Rosenbaum. The lawyers argue that Hamas leaders should be examined for actions affecting Palestinian populations, noting that while the ICC has pursued cases involving Hamas and Israeli figures over the conflict, it has not previously charged Hamas over alleged crimes against its own civilians.

News.Az 

By Leyla Şirinova