Gaza: Al Jazeera To Take Cameraman’s Killing To War Crimes Court.

(CTN News) – Al Jazeera announced on Saturday that it is preparing a formal dossier to be sent to the International Criminal Court (ICC) regarding what it referred to as the “assassination” of one of its cameramen in Gaza.

The cameraman, Samer Abu Daqqa, was tragically killed on Friday by a drone strike while reporting on the bombing of a school in the southern Gaza Strip, which was being used as a shelter for displaced individuals.

Al Jazeera claims that Israeli drones fired missiles at the school, resulting in Abu Daqqa’s fatal injuries.

However, Reuters has not been able to independently verify the specifics of the incident.

In a statement, Al Jazeera stated that it has formed a joint working group consisting of its international legal team and international legal experts.

This group will collaborate to compile a comprehensive file that will be submitted to the prosecutor of the ICC.

The legal file will not only address the incident involving Abu Daqqa but also highlight the repeated attacks on Al Jazeera’s crews operating in the occupied Palestinian territories, as well as instances of incitement against them.

The Israeli army responded to the incident by stating that it has never intentionally targeted journalists and emphasized the inherent risks of remaining in an active combat zone during exchanges of fire.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is currently investigating alleged crimes committed on Palestinian territory and by Palestinians on the territory of Israel.

This investigation was initiated after the ICC judges determined that the court has jurisdiction, following the Palestinian authorities’ signing up to the court in 2015 and being granted United Nations observer state status.

It is important to note that Israel does not recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction over the Palestinian territories and has previously refused to cooperate with the court.

As for the ICC’s office of the prosecutor, they typically do not comment on the Al Jazeera specifics of ongoing investigations. In light of the recent 10 weeks of war in Gaza, the Committee to Protect Journalists has reported that at least 64 journalists and media workers have been killed.

The CPJ has called on international authorities to conduct an independent investigation into the attack and hold the responsible parties accountable.

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