ISTANBUL

Intentionally obstructing the delivery of aid to civilians in the Gaza Strip “may constitute a war crime,” said the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court on Thursday.

“I wish to reiterate in the clearest terms possible that wilfully impeding relief supplies to civilians may constitute a war crime under the #ICC Rome Statute,” Karim Khan said on X, adding his voice to a chorus of international figures saying Israel may be committing war crimes in Gaza.

Khan highlighted the urgent need for immediate and substantial access to humanitarian aid in Gaza, citing Wednesday’s invocation of Article 99 of the UN Charter by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Guterres’ letter invoking Article 99 sounded the alarm bell over preventing a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and maintaining world peace.

Since the start of its Gaza offensive on Oct. 7, Israel has imposed a draconian blockade on the Gaza Strip, cutting off water, electricity, food, medicine, and humanitarian aid, only intermittently letting in a trickle of aid, far less than what the 2.2 million residents of Gaza need.