Newly-formed Hague Group ‘important step in ending Israeli occupation’, says Hamas

The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has hailed the formation of an alliance of countries aimed at coordinating legal, diplomatic and economic actions against Israel as an important step in ending the Zionist regime’s occupation and defending Palestinian rights.

“We commend the initiative of South Africa, Malaysia, Namibia, Colombia, Bolivia, Chile, Senegal, Honduras and Belize in establishing The Hague Group,” it said in a statement on Sunday.

The Gaza-based group noted that the formation of the group is aimed at ending the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands and supporting the right of its people to self-determination and the establishment of an independent state.

Hamas described the initiative as “an important and key step at the international level to end this racist and fascist occupation.”

“There will be no end to the Zionist occupation system without raising its cost and isolating it globally, as was done with the apartheid regime in South Africa. There will be no deterrent to Zionist war criminals without achieving international justice against them, just as was done with Nazi and fascist leaders,” it added.

Hamas called on the countries of the world “to join the group in support of humanity, which has been disregarded by the Zionist occupation system in Palestine, and to restore the credibility of international humanitarian law and human rights laws, which have been violated by the principles of genocide warfare.”

Formation of 'The Hague Group' a fresh challenge to Zionist impunity

The Hague Group is committed to seeking accountability for Israel

At a meeting hosted by Progressive International – an international political organization – on January 31, representatives of nine countries gathered in The Hague, the Netherlands, to announce the formation of the Hague Group. 

The group said it is grieving the lives, livelihoods, communities and cultural heritage lost due to Israel’s genocidal war in the besieged Gaza Strip, and the remainder of the occupied Palestinian territories.

It noted that it was refusing to “remain passive” in the face of such international crimes against the Palestinians.

Back in December 2023, South Africa instituted proceedings against Israel before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), arguing violations of acts listed under UN Genocide Convention in relation to Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

Several countries have since joined the case, including Nicaragua, Colombia, Cuba, Libya, Mexico, Palestine, Spain and Turkey.

The Israeli genocidal war on Gaza, which started on October 7, 2023, killed at least 47,498 Palestinians, most of them women and children, and wounded 111,592 others.

The bloody onslaught on the coastal sliver also left more than 11,000 people missing, with widespread destruction and a humanitarian crisis.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants in November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former minister of military affairs Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

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