The Embassy of the State of Palestine to Nigeria has strongly condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant following the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) decision to issue arrest warrants for alleged war crimes in Gaza .
The ICC stated that there were “reasonable grounds” to believe Netanyahu and Gallant committed war crimes, emphasizing that Israel’s acceptance of the court’s jurisdiction is not necessary for the case to proceed. This development comes on the 412th day of the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which the Embassy described as a “horrific, vindictive, televised massacre” of Palestinians.
As of November 19, the death toll in Gaza stood at 43,972, with 104,008 injuries, mostly women and children. Over 10,000 people remain missing under the rubble, while more than 700 Palestinians have been killed in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
The Embassy highlighted the urgent need for medical evacuations from Gaza, with 12,000 wounded people requiring life-saving treatment. However, Israeli restrictions are preventing this, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.
The statement condemned Israel’s treatment of Palestinian prisoners, noting that 280 prisoners have died in Israeli prisons since 1967, with 43 dying in the last 13 months due to torture, ill-treatment, and medical negligence.
Currently, over 11,700 Palestinians are detained in occupied territories, including 765 children and 435 women, with many facing administrative detention without trial.
Citing UNICEF, the Embassy noted that at least 14,000 children have been killed in Gaza, with thousands more injured and exposed to war trauma. A Human Rights Watch report accused Israel of committing war crimes, including forcible transfer and destruction of civilian infrastructure.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has been denied access to key hospitals in northern Gaza, where 65,000-75,000 Palestinians are trapped in inhumane conditions.
The Embassy’s statement concluded with a warning that ongoing hostilities continue to kill, injure, and displace Palestinians on a catastrophic scale.
