Spain will investigate 'Israeli' violations in Gaza: Attorney General

In a major European judicial move, the Spanish Public Prosecutor’s office announced Thursday the opening of an official investigation into "human rights violations in Gaza" with the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague. 

The decision marks the latest escalation of Spain’s firm stance on the ongoing 'Israeli' offensive in Gaza, moving from political condemnation and sanctions to formal legal action, a move widely welcomed by Palestinian and international human rights organizations.

Read more: Northern Gaza's last aid entry point still sealed by ‘Israel’

Spain's top prosecutor, Alvaro Garcia Ortiz released a statement saying that the attorney general had "issued a decree to create a working team tasked with investigating violations of international human rights law in Gaza." 

The investigative team's role will be to "gather evidence and make it available to the competent body, thereby fulfilling Spain's obligations regarding international cooperation and human rights", the statement read. 

The decision follows a series of proactive Spanish measures, including:

• Recognizing the State of Palestine.
• Imposing sanctions and an arms embargo on 'Israel.'
• Blocking ships carrying military equipment to 'Israel' from docking at Spanish ports.

The Spanish decision is expected to be welcomed by the Palestinian Authority and rights organizations documenting 'Israeli' atrocities in Gaza, providing an additional official channel to submit evidence and testimonies to international courts.

Conversely, the move is likely to draw strong condemnation from the 'Israeli' government, which rejects the ICC’s jurisdiction and views such investigations as politically motivated