JERUSALEM

Palestinian group Hamas Monday called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to overcome political pressure and hold Israel accountable over its “crimes” in the Gaza Strip. 

“The ICC and its prosecutor Karim Khan have failed to take serious and immediate action regarding war crimes and genocide being committed in occupied Palestine, especially in the Gaza Strip,” Hamas said in a statement.

“This raises questions about the (court’s) role in protecting humanity against violations by war criminals,” it added.

The Palestinian group called on the court “to overcome political pressure and assume its responsibility to hold Israeli officials accountable for the killings and atrocities in the Gaza Strip.”

Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, killing at least 20,424 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injuring 54,036 others, according to local health authorities.

Around 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack, according to Israeli figures.

Israeli attacks has left Gaza in ruins, with half of the coastal territory’s housing damaged or destroyed and nearly 2 million people displaced within the densely populated enclave amid shortages of food and clean water.