The Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) decided, on Monday, that the ICC prosecutor must reconsider a decision to start an investigation, or not, on the 2010 Gaza flotilla incident.
“[The] Appeals Chamber nevertheless maintained that ‘ultimate decision’ as to whether or not to initiate an investigation is that of the Prosecutor,” the ICC said on its Twitter account.
The prosecutor must reconsider the decision by December 2, it added.
The case began in 2013, when the Indian Ocean nation of Comoros, whose flag the Mavi Marmara sailed under, asked an ICC prosecutor to investigate the deadly raid.
The ICC prosecutor previously decided not to investigate the attack.
One of the attorneys for the vessel, Gulden Sonmez, told Anadolu Agency that they were happy with the Appeals Chamber’s decision.
“We hope that the Israeli criminals will be brought before justice at this court,” she said.
“All the victims and families of the martyrs await decision of the prosecutor to start an investigation,” Sonmez stressed.
Six civilian ships in a Turkish aid flotilla were attacked by Israeli forces in international waters on May 31, 2010 as they tried to break Israel’s crippling siege of the Gaza Strip, Al Ray Palestinian Media Agency further reports.
Eight Turkish nationals and an American of Turkish origin were killed in the incident, and 30 others were injured, including one who succumbed to his injuries nearly four years after the incident.
*Contribution and writing by Fatih Hafiz Mehmet in Ankara
(edited for the IMEMC by c h r i s @ i m e m c . o r g)
