ICC rejects Israeli bid to halt Gaza war investigation

THE HAGUE, ‌Dec 15 (Reuters) - Appeals judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) on ‍Monday ‌rejected one in a series of legal challenges brought by Israel ⁠against the court's probe into ‌its conduct of the Gaza war.

On appeal, judges refused to overturn a lower court decision that the prosecution's investigation into alleged crimes under its jurisdiction could include ⁠events following the deadly attack on Israel by militant Palestinian group Hamas on October ​7, 2023.

The ruling means the investigation continues and ‌the arrest warrants issued last ⁠year for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence chief Yoav Gallant remain in place.

Israel rejects the jurisdiction of the Hague-based ​court and denies war crimes in Gaza, where it has waged a military campaign it says is aimed at eliminating Hamas following the October 7 attacks.

The ICC initially also issued a warrant ​for Hamas ‍leader Ibrahim al-Masri for ​alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, but withdrew that later following credible reports of his death.

A ceasefire agreement in the conflict took effect on October 10, but the war destroyed much of Gaza’s infrastructure, and living conditions are dire.

According to Gaza health officials, whose data ⁠is frequently cited with confidence by the United Nations, some 67,000 Palestinians have been killed by ​Israel in Gaza.

This ruling focuses on only one of several Israeli legal challenges against the ICC investigations and the arrest warrants for its officials. There is no timeline for the ‌court to rule on the various other challenges to its jurisdiction in this case. 

(Reporting by Stephanie van den Berg; Editing by Jan Harvey)