Qatar: It is too early to discuss handing over over Ismail Haniyeh to the International Criminal Court

DOHA, May 22 (YPA) – Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majid Al-Ansari said “it is too early to discuss Doha handing over Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the political bureau of Hamas, in light of the warrant issued by the International Criminal Court.”

Majid Al-Ansari added that they do not anticipate what the International Criminal Court will decide regarding the requests of the court’s prosecutor.

Al-Ansari said that Qatar is not a party to the International Criminal Court system, nor is it a party to the Rome Statute, but it is committed to its role in the international community.

“It is too early to comment on the Attorney General’s decision, but we support the general approach to accountability.”

Al-Ansari stressed that the Israeli escalation in Rafah is unacceptable and directly contributes to expanding the circle of violence, and that closing the Rafah crossing exacerbates the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip, stressing that there is no alternative to opening the land crossings for humanitarian aid trucks.

Regarding the ceasefire negotiations, Al-Ansari said that they do not yet have an update on the stalemate regarding the Gaza negotiations.

The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim Khan, announced on Monday that he is seeking arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Defense Minister Yoav Galant, along with 3 leaders of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), namely the head of the movement’s political bureau in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, and the leader of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas). Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the movement, Muhammad Diab Ibrahim (guest), and the head of the movement’s political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh.

E.M