Hamas criticized International Criminal Court (ICC) chief prosecutor Karim Khan on Monday for neglecting to visit the Gaza Strip amidst the ongoing Israeli conflict since October 7. In a press statement, Hamas condemned Khan’s visit to Israel and his “prejudicial conclusions” about the October 7 events, asserting his failure to visit Gaza and hear the other side clashes with the essence of justice and judicial procedures.
Hamas denounced Khan’s statements and his bias towards Israel’s misleading narrative. They also criticized his disregard for numerous global appeals from lawyers and human rights organizations urging him to visit Gaza.
The Palestinian movement stressed the importance of Khan’s visit to Gaza to understand the reality of what they describe as “ethnic cleansing and systematic genocide against unarmed children and civilians.” They accused Khan of making impulsive judgments without a professional and fair investigation.
Khan’s visit to Israel and the West Bank, a first for an ICC chief prosecutor, was prompted by the request of Israeli families affected by the Hamas October 7 massacre. He toured communities attacked by Hamas, describing the scenes as “calculated cruelty” and noting that international crimes of grave nature likely occurred. Khan expressed his office’s commitment to holding those responsible accountable.
During his visit, Khan met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and discussed potential Israeli violations of international law. Palestinian human rights groups refused to meet with Khan, criticizing his handling of the visit and alleging a bias towards Israeli claims of human rights abuses.
