War Crimes: Palestinian Ambassador Calls On International Bodies To Hold Israel Accountable

The Palestinian Ambassador to Nigeria, has called on international bodies to hold Israel accountable for its actions of crimes against humanity, in line with international legal obligations.

The Palestinian Ambassador to Nigeria, Abdallah Abu Shawesh, made the call at a press conference in Abuja in response to the Israeli troops’ entering into Gaza’s biggest hospital, Al Shifa Hospital.

Gaza officials said many patients including three newborn babies died in recent days as a result of Israel’s encirclement of the facility.

According to Ambassador Shawesh, if Israel is held liable, it will stop its war crimes, crimes against humanity and State terrorism against the Palestinians.

“Diverting the discourse from a full ceasefire to humanitarian aid, and humanitarian truce is another attempt from the Occupation club to blind the world. The humanitarian aid is necessary but ceasefire should come before . In this regard, accountability is an urgent issue to pursue  by the Security Council, by the ICC, by the ICJ and by all States, in line with international legal obligations. 

Israel cannot remain a State above the law. Only such serious action can stop its war crimes, crimes against humanity and State terrorism against the Palestinian people, saving lives and our region from implosion,”Abu Shawesh said.

The Envoy said Israel was carrying out what he described as “textbook genocide” in Gaza.

He noted that Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City has become the main target of the ground operation by Israeli Forces, who claim Hamas fighters Headquarters is situated beneath Al-Shifa Hospital, a claim Hamas said was absurd and untrue.

The Palestinian Ambassador to Nigeria said the Israeli troops found nothing in the hospital after raiding it on Wednesday.

“World attention has been focused on the fate of hundreds of patients trapped inside  Al-Shifa Hospital without power to operate basic medical equipment and thousands of displaced civilians who had sought shelter there.

“Despite the Israeli military’s claims on November 5, 2023, ‘of Hamas’ cynical use of hospitals’, no evidence put forward would justify depriving hospitals and ambulances of their  protected status under international humanitarian law. 

With the deepest sorrow, the death toll among the Palestinian civilians exceeded the 12,000, the majority of them are children and women. Out of more than 2000 still missing, there have been groaning still coming from under the rubble which means that some are still breathing and fighting for their lives. To implement its long-run plan, Israel wants to destroy all the infrastructures in Gaza so that it will become unlivable after the war and that will push the civilians to leave it,” he said.

While speaking on the mediation delegation on Gaza war, Ambassador Shawesh, said that the Western countries support for Israel will nullify the impact of the Arab League/OIC mediation delegation on the Gaza war.

He explained that as much as the people of Palestine appreciate and commend the efforts of the group towards ensuring ceasefire, the Western countries have blinded support for Israel which would make them thwart any effort to peaceful resolution.

Reacting on the mediation delegation which includes Nigeria, the envoy explained that all the diplomatic efforts are positive and necessary but said the Western countries that supply weapon and ammunition would not allow it to succeed. 

“The Arab League, the OIC, including our brother Nigeria and other international organisation established committees to follow what is happening in Gaza. The  question is are the efforts  enough? I’m not sure. I would like to ask you,  you know, it’s not enough because who’s deciding this war, who is supplying the ammunition, who is supplying the weapons to the Israeli, who should start talking about the ceasefire.

Unfortunately, those countries, I mean, the western countries did not alter any single word of ceasefire. They declared that ceasefire was not part of  what is on the table.This is the real problem. What the Arab League, the OIC and Nigeria and other respectful inter-governmental organisations are doing is highly appreciated by us,” he said.

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League selected Nigeria as part of a special delegation mandated to initiate immediate international action to halt the ongoing war in Gaza.