• Egyptian Red Crescent Society employees and volunteers handle humanitarian aid bound for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, at a warehouse in Arish, Egypt, 25 October 2023. International mediators continued on 25 October to push for the passage of more aid into Gaza and the exit of foreign nationals fleeing the conflict. The international humanitarian aid convoys are mostly stationed on the road between the town of Arish and the Rafah border crossing 50 km away. Fifty Four aid trucks have so far made their way into the Gaza strip through Egypt's border according to aid organizations, while various UN agencies asked for more to be allowed in, as most of the inhabitants of Gaza have been displaced to the southern part of the strip and lack access to food, electricity and medical supplies. More than 5,500 Palestinians and 1,400 Israelis have been killed according to the IDF and Palestinian health ministry, after Hamas militants launched an attack against Israel from the Gaza Strip on 07 October and the Israeli operations in Gaza and the West Bank which followed it. EPA / KHALED ELFIQI
    Egyptian Red Crescent Society employees and volunteers handle humanitarian aid bound for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, at a warehouse in Arish, Egypt, 25 October 2023. International mediators continued on 25 October to push for the passage of more aid into Gaza and the exit of foreign nationals fleeing the conflict. The international humanitarian aid convoys are mostly stationed on the road between the town of Arish and the Rafah border crossing 50 km away. Fifty Four aid trucks have so far made their way into the Gaza strip through Egypt's border according to aid organizations, while various UN agencies asked for more to be allowed in, as most of the inhabitants of Gaza have been displaced to the southern part of the strip and lack access to food, electricity and medical supplies. More than 5,500 Palestinians and 1,400 Israelis have been killed according to the IDF and Palestinian health ministry, after Hamas militants launched an attack against Israel from the Gaza Strip on 07 October and the Israeli operations in Gaza and the West Bank which followed it. EPA / KHALED ELFIQI
  • Aid is being stored at locations across Arish after filling storage facilities at the airport. EPA
    Aid is being stored at locations across Arish after filling storage facilities at the airport. EPA
  • Lines of lorries carrying humanitarian aid wait to pass through the Rafah border crossing into Gaza. EPA
    Lines of lorries carrying humanitarian aid wait to pass through the Rafah border crossing into Gaza. EPA
  • Egyptian volunteers with cargoes of aid bound for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, at the Rafah border crossing. EPA
    Egyptian volunteers with cargoes of aid bound for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, at the Rafah border crossing. EPA
  • Egyptian volunteers handle humanitarian aid bound for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, at the Rafah border crossing. EPA
    Egyptian volunteers handle humanitarian aid bound for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, at the Rafah border crossing. EPA
  • Volunteers handle humanitarian aid bound for Gaza, at the Rafah border crossing in Egypt. EPA
    Volunteers handle humanitarian aid bound for Gaza, at the Rafah border crossing in Egypt. EPA
  • An RAF C-17 aircraft carrying 21 tonnes of UK humanitarian supplies for Gaza has landed in Egypt. EPA
    An RAF C-17 aircraft carrying 21 tonnes of UK humanitarian supplies for Gaza has landed in Egypt. EPA
  • Humanitarian aid bound for Gaza via Egypt being loaded into a military aircraft at Kuwait International Airport. AFP
    Humanitarian aid bound for Gaza via Egypt being loaded into a military aircraft at Kuwait International Airport. AFP
  • Lorries carrying aid wait to exit on the Gaza side of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. Reuters
    Lorries carrying aid wait to exit on the Gaza side of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. Reuters

Blocking aid to Gaza may constitute a crime, says ICC prosecutor


Mina Aldroubi
  • English
  • Arabic

Live updates: Follow the latest news on Israel-Gaza

Preventing access to humanitarian aid may constitute a crime, International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan has said after visiting Egypt's Rafah crossing into the Gaza Strip.

The crossing has been the only point of entry for humanitarian relief to get into the Palestinian enclave after Israel imposed a complete blockade in response to the October 7 Hamas attack and embarked on a series of devastating air strikes.

Since limited aid deliveries resumed through the Rafah crossing on October 21, a total of 117 lorries have entered Gaza.

Before the siege, about 500 lorries carrying aid and other goods entered the Palestinian territory daily.

“Impeding relief supplies as provided by the Geneva Conventions may constitute a crime within the court jurisdiction,” Mr Khan said on Sunday evening.

“There should not be any impediment to humanitarian relief supplies going to civilians. They are innocent, they have rights under international laws.”

Mr Khan said he saw lorries full of goods and humanitarian assistance “stuck where nobody needs them, stuck in Egypt, stuck at Rafah”.

He said supplies must get to civilians as soon as possible without any hindrance.

The ICC is carrying out an investigation into crimes committed in the Palestinian territories – “whether it’s by Israel or Palestine or whether it’s acts committed on the territory of Palestine or from Palestine into Israel”.

Mr Khan said he hoped to visit Gaza and Israel in the coming days to underline clearly to Israel that “there must be discernible efforts, without further delay”, to make sure civilians in the Hamas-run territory receive basic food and medicines.

“These are the most tragic of days as the suffering of children and women and men is profound,” he said.

Mr Khan said he was concerned about the increase of reported deaths and injuries in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and Israel.

“This must be a moment where we share our humanity and find the common ground together,” he said.

Israel has said 1,400 people, mostly civilians, were killed in the Hamas attacks that set off the war. At least 220 were taken hostage.

Gaza's Health Ministry says more than 8,000 people, including thousands of women and children, have been killed in Israeli air and ground attacks since.

Mr Khan said taking hostages was in breach of the Geneva Conventions.

“I call for the immediate release of all hostages taken from Israel and for their safe return to their families,” he said.

Israel has moral and legal obligations to comply with the laws of conflict, he said.

“We need to separate allegations from facts,” he said, as his team is independently looking into the events in Palestine and Israel.

The ICC has been investigating the actions of both Israeli and Palestinian authorities since 2014.

Mr Khan said the world must reflect on a moment of objectivity and reflection for the world “built on the rubble of World War II, the terrible gas chambers and the Holocaust, the razing of cities throughout Europe, [which] was meant to create institutions that would ensure never again would we see abominations”.

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Drishyam 2

Directed by: Jeethu Joseph

Starring: Mohanlal, Meena, Ansiba, Murali Gopy

Rating: 4 stars

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Key figures in the life of the fort

Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.

Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.

Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.

Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae

The bio

Favourite vegetable: Broccoli

Favourite food: Seafood

Favourite thing to cook: Duck l'orange

Favourite book: Give and Take by Adam Grant, one of his professors at University of Pennsylvania

Favourite place to travel: Home in Kuwait.

Favourite place in the UAE: Al Qudra lakes

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Part three: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

If you go...

Etihad Airways flies from Abu Dhabi to Kuala Lumpur, from about Dh3,600. Air Asia currently flies from Kuala Lumpur to Terengganu, with Berjaya Hotels & Resorts planning to launch direct chartered flights to Redang Island in the near future. Rooms at The Taaras Beach and Spa Resort start from 680RM (Dh597).

Updated: October 30, 2023, 2:13 PM