International Criminal Law and Its Role in Reducing Gross Human Rights Violations in the Israeli War on the Gaza Strip 2023/2024
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35516/Hum.2026.9845Keywords:
International criminal law, gross violations, human rights, Israeli war, Gaza Strip.Abstract
Objectives: This study aims to analyze the role of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC) while examining the structural failures of the United Nations system in mitigating severe human rights violations in the Gaza Strip since 2023.
Methods: The study employs a legal approach to analyze the mechanisms of international criminal justice, particularly the ICJ and ICC, in accordance with international law. Additionally, a descriptive analytical method is utilized to examine Israel’s grave human rights violations in Gaza.
Results: Israel's violations of international criminal law principles constitute international crimes subject to the jurisdiction of international criminal courts. The charges against Israeli leaders align with the provisions of the Rome Statute, specifically Article 7, which addresses crimes against humanity, and Article 8, which pertains to war crimes. Israel’s decision to launch an offensive against Gaza, resulting in civilian casualties and the deprivation of essential supplies and humanitarian aid, constitutes a crime under the Rome Statute.
Conclusions: The study calls on international lawmakers to implement measures that reinforce the principle of international and individual accountability for damages resulting from both international and non-international conflicts. Additionally, it urges the adoption of urgent actions to ensure the immediate enforcement of a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
Downloads
References
Arbour, L. (1999). The Prosecution of International Crimes: Prospects and Pitfalls. Washington University Journal of Law and Policy, (1), 1-22
Greenwood, C. (2017). What the ICC Can Learn from the Jurisprudence of Other Tribunals. Harvard International Law Journal, 1(58), 65-84.
James L., & Jamie, O (2020). When Prosecution is Not Enough: How the International Criminal Court Can Prevent Atrocity and Advance Accountability. Emulating Regional Human Rights Institutions.
Kasthala, M., & Sander, B. (2024). Contemporary International Criminal Law After Critique: Towards Decolonial and Abolitionist (Dis-)Engagement in an Era of Anti-Impunity. Journal of International Criminal Justice, 22(1), 127–150,
Khatib, R., & Mckee, M. (2024). Counting the dead in Gaza: difficult but essential’ The Lancet available at: https://www.thelancet.com.
Loengarov, A. (2024). Israel and the ICJ: Comparing International Court Cases During the Gaza War, https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/
Michael J., & Scheffer, D. (2018). The Creation of the Tribunals. American Journal of International Law, 110(2), 185-199.
Mohsin, A. (2024). America's Complicity in the Crime of Genocide in Gaza. https://rsilpak.org/
Saba, A., & Akbarzadeh, S. (2021). The ICC and R2P Complementary or Contradictory?, 28 Int’l Peacekeeping.
United Nations. (1999). Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. Social Justice, 26(4) (78), 125-43.
Abu Al-Khair, M. (2006). Sudan's Internal Crises and Contemporary International Law. Cairo: Etrak for Publishing and Distribution.
Al Jazeera Net. (2023). The War on Gaza Live, New Massacres, Occupation Raids and Explosions in Tel Aviv, dated 11/7/2023, available at: https://www.aljazeera.net/news, Retrieved 11/10/2024.
Al-Anbaki, N. (2010). International Humanitarian Law. Amman: Dar Wael.
Al-Basri, A. (2024). The rulings of the International Court of Justice in the case of South Africa against Israel and its repercussions. Doha: Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies.
Al-Beltagy, S. (2005). Protection of Civilians in Times of Armed Conflict, Crime and Protection Mechanisms. Cairo: Dar Al Nahda Al Arabiya.
Al-Minshawi, M. (2024). This is why Washington fears the arrest warrants of Netanyahu and Galant, dated 10/10/2024, www.aljazeera.net, retrieved 11/15/2024.
Al-Qasimi, M. (2003). Establishing a Permanent International Criminal Court: Is it a Real Step to Develop the International Legal System?, Journal of Law, Kuwait, 1(27), 50-75.
Al-Wadiyya, S. (2007). The Nature of Criminal Responsibility in the Statute of the International Criminal Court. Al-Hewar Al-Mutamadin Magazine, 51 (78), 45-53.
Alwan, M. (2002). The jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court. Security and Law Journal, 10(1), 200-226.
Arabi21. (2024). Publishes the full Arabic text of the South Africa v. Israel lawsuit in the Supreme Court, dated 10/11/2024, available at https://arabi21.com/, retrieved 22/11/2024.
Atlam, S. (2005). The meaning of international humanitarian law, its historical development and scope of application. Cairo: International Committee of the Red Cross.
Ayoub, N. (2024). The repercussions of Israel's failure to implement interim measures to prevent genocide in Gaza. Doha: Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies.
Bassiouni, M. (2001). The International Criminal Court, its establishment and statute. Cairo: New Rose Al-Youssef Printing Press.
BBC (2024). Between Welcome and Condemnations, Widespread Reactions to the International Criminal Court Issuing Arrest Warrants for Netanyahu, Galant and Al-Daif, dated 11/14/2024, available at: https://www.bbc.com/arabic/articles/clyg7461lndo Retrieved 11/25/2024.
Bekte, J. (1970). Principles of International Humanitarian Law. Geneva: International Committee of the Red Cross.
Farajallah, S. (2000). Crimes Against Humanity, Genocide, and War Crimes in Studies in International Humanitarian Law. Cairo: Dar Al-Mustaqbal Al-Arabiya.
France 24 (2025). US House of Representatives approves sanctions on ICC after arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Galant, available at: https://www.france24.com/, retrieved 11/1/2025.
Ghali, B., & Issa, M. (1989). Introduction to Political Science. Cairo: Anglo Library.
Hijazi, A. (2004). The International Criminal Court.Alexandria: Al-Fikr Al-Jami'i.
Human Rights Watch. (2024). "International Criminal" Arrest Warrants Revive Hope for Justice, dated 11/21/2024, available at: https://www.hrw.org/ar/news, retrieved 11/25/2024.
Khan, K. (2023). The situation in the State of Palestine: Receipt of a referral from five States Parties, Statement of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, dated 4/12/2023, available at https://www.icc-cpi.int/news, retrieved 21/11/2024.
Musa, T. (2022). Principles of Legal Research and Drafting. Amman: Dar Al-Thaqafa.
Nassar, S. (2004). War Crimes: What Does International Law Say, Al-Watan Newspaper, Kuwait, dated 11/12/2004.
Omar, M. (2024). 7 Questions Explaining South Africa's Journey to International Justice to Condemn Israel, dated 11/19/2024, available at https://www.aljazeera.net/politics, retrieved 11/21/2024.
Palestinian Ministry of Health (2024). Death toll from the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, dated 11/24/2024, https://arabic.rt.com/, retrieved 11/25/2024.
Sidqi, A. (2009). A study of the principles of international criminal law. Cairo: Dar Al-Nahda.
Statute of the Geneva Conventions of August 12, 1949.
Statute of the International Court of Justice.
United Nations (2024). The International Court of Justice rules on the measures requested by South Africa regarding Israel's practices in Gaza, dated 1/11/2024, available at: https://news.un.org/, retrieved on 20/11/2024.
Wazir, A. (1999). The basic features of the system for establishing the permanent international criminal court, the Arab regional conference, the Ministry of Justice, Cairo, November 14-16.
Yishui, L. (2008). The permanent international criminal court and its jurisdiction. Amman, Dar Al-Thaqafa.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Dirasat: Human and Social Sciences

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

