“Today, I confirm the initiation by the Office of the Prosecutor (''Office'') of the International Criminal Court (''ICC'' or the ''Court'') of an investigation respecting the Situation in Palestine. The investigation will cover crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court that are alleged to have been committed in the Situation since 13 June 2014, the date to which reference is made in the Referral of the Situation to my Office,” Bensouda said.

In December 2019, Bensouda announced an investigation into alleged war crimes committed during the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

She said that the prosecution had carefully considered the observations of the participants and remains of the view that the Court has jurisdiction over the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

Last month, the court decided, by majority, that the Court's territorial jurisdiction in the Situation in Palestine, a State party to the ICC Rome Statute, extends to the territories occupied by the zionst regime since 1967, namely Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Judges ruled that the court does have jurisdiction, rejecting israel's argument that it lacks such authority. (ILKHA)