Displaced Palestinians react as ICC seeks arrest of Israel and Hamas leaders, including Netanyahu

(20 May 2024)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Deir Al Balah, Central Gaza Strip - 20 May 2024
1. Various of people walking in the street
2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Sami Abu Zeid, displaced from Gaza City:
"We want international resolutions that are decisive. Decisive so that they solve matters (problems). We are the victims although we have nothing to do with Israel or Hamas. We are not Hamas or (Palestinian Islamic) Jihad. We are citizens and I used to work in Israel. I was working in Israel securely and safely. What is my guilt or my children's guilt? What is my guilt or my siblings' guilt? What is my guilt or my neighbour's guilt? Why was I displaced and why do I have to live every day with suffering? The morale of my children and my wife are down. This is not fair, for God's sake."
3. People in the street
4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Majdi Sleim, displaced from Gaza City:
"We tell the prosecutor that the cards are being shuffled because there is equality between the victims and the oppressed. How is it possible to equalize between those who defend their country and freedom - and they (the ICC) look at this freedom as they say that they value everything in accordance with human standards - and between those who target children, women and elderly people and destroy homes and infrastructure and humanitarian sectors in the Gaza Strip?"
5. People in the street

STORYLINE:
Displaced Palestinians in Gaza gave their reactions on Monday to the announcement by the chief prosecutor of the world's top war crimes court that he is seeking arrest warrants for leaders of Israel and Hamas, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over actions taken during their seven-month war.

"We tell the prosecutor that the cards are being shuffled because there is equality between the victims and the oppressed," said Majdi Sleim, who is from Gaza City but currently in Deir Al Balah, in the Central Gaza Strip.

The court's prosecutor, Karim Khan, accused Netanyahu, Gallant, and three Hamas leaders - Yehia Sinwar, Mohammed Deif and Ismail Haniyeh - of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip and Israel.

Israel is not a member of the court, so even if the arrest warrants are issued, Netanyahu and Gallant do not face any immediate risk of prosecution.

But the threat of arrest could make it difficult for the Israeli leaders to travel abroad.

Netanyahu called the prosecutor’s accusations against him a “disgrace” and attack on the Israeli military and all of Israel.

He vowed to press ahead with Israel’s war against Hamas militants.

US President Joe Biden said the ICC prosecutor’s desire to arrest Netanyahu and Gallant was “outrageous,” adding “whatever this prosecutor might imply, there is no equivalence - none - between Israel and Hamas.”

Hamas also denounced the ICC prosecutor’s request to arrest its leaders, saying it “equates the victim with the executioner.”

AP video shot by Abd Al Kareem Hana, production by Wafaa Shurafa

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