Mexico and Chile have asked the International Criminal Court to investigate possible crimes against civilians in Gaza and the Oct. 7 Hamas attack in Israel.
Mexico’s Foreign Relations Department said in a statement that it filed the request “because of a growing concern about the recent escalation in violence, especially against civilians.”
There have been widespread claims of breaches of international law by Hamas and Israeli forces since war erupted.
The Palestinian foreign ministry expressed approval of the decision.
“The referral underscores the pressing requirement for the Court to carry out its mandate, addressing, investigating, and prosecuting the gravest crimes that are of concern to the international community,” stated the ministry on Friday.
Israel launched a military operation in the Gaza Strip following the Oct. 7 attack, in which 1,200 people were killed and some 250 people taken hostage by Hamas militants.
Gaza’s Health Ministry says more than 24,400 Palestinians have died during Israel’s military operation, and the United Nations says a quarter of the 2.3 million people trapped in Gaza are starving.
