An Israeli speedboat escorts the Mavi Marmara near the port of Ashdod on May 31, 2010.<\/p>\n
The International Criminal Court says it has launched a preliminary investigation into Israel’s deadly attack on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla in 2010 to see if war crimes or crimes against humanity had been committed.\n<\/p>\n
“My office will be conducting a preliminary examination in order to establish whether the criteria for opening an investigation are met,” ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said in a statement issued on Tuesday.\n<\/p>\n
On May 31, 2010, Israeli commandos attacked the first Freedom Flotilla in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea, killing nine Turkish citizens, including a teenager with Turkish-US dual citizenship, on board the Turkish-flagged Mavi Marmara and injuring about 50 other people who were part of the team on the six-ship convoy.\n<\/p>\n
Bensouda said she had met Turkish lawyers who are representing the African state of Comoros, which referred the case to the court based in The Hague, Netherlands.\n<\/p>\n
The Mavi Marmara was registered in the Indian Ocean island country, which is a member of the ICC.\n<\/p>\n
“After careful analysis of all available information, I shall make a determination that will be made public in due course,” Bensouda said.\n<\/p>\n
In their 17-page submission to the court, the lawyers said the attack on the flotilla had “serious international repercussions” and that the ICC was seen as an institution to “provide a remedy for redress.”\n<\/p>\n
The lawyers also stated that the actions of Israeli troops “were manifestations of a plan or policy to use violence to dissuade the humanitarian flotillas to directly reach a blockaded Gaza.”\n<\/p>\n
The Israeli \u00c5\u201cattack on the flotilla — charged with bringing humanitarian aid to Gaza resulted in the commission of war crimes and crimes against humanity falling within the ambit of the ICC’s\u2026 jurisdiction,” the lawyers added.\n<\/p>\n
Gaza has been blockaded since June 2007, which is a situation that has caused a decline in the standard of living, unprecedented levels of unemployment, and unrelenting poverty.\n<\/p>\n
After Israel’s assault on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla, Tel Aviv slightly eased the land blockade of Gaza, allowing in more consumer goods.\n<\/p>\n
However, the naval siege of the Gaza Strip remains in place, exports are banned, and imports of raw materials and construction materials are restricted.\n<\/p>\n
GJH\/HGL<\/p>\n<\/div>\n