The International Criminal Court has jurisdiction over potential war crimes carried out by Hamas militants in Israel and Israelis in the Gaza Strip, even though Israel is not a member state, the ICC’s top prosecutor said over the weekend after a journalist submitted a request to the office.

The occupied Palestinian territories including the Gaza Strip fall under the jurisdiction of the ICC, meaning the court has the authority to prosecute Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that rules Gaza.

“If there is evidence that Palestinians, whether they’re Hamas or Al Quds Brigades or the armed wing of Hamas or any other person or any other national of any other state party, has committed crimes.

Yes, we have jurisdiction wherever they’re committed, including on the territory of Israel,” ICC prosecutor Karim Khan said in an interview.

Aljazeera.