THE HAGUE: A Libyan accused by the International Criminal Court of crimes against humanity and war crimes has been arrested in Germany on a sealed arrest warrant, the court announced Friday.
Khaled Mohamed Ali El Hishri was allegedly one of the most senior officials at Miriga Prison in Tripoli where thousands of people were detained. He was arrested Wednesday based on a warrant issued by the court on July 10.
“He is suspected of having committed directly himself, ordered or overseen crimes against humanity and war crimes, including murder, torture, rape and sexual violence, allegedly committed in Libya from February 2015 to early 2020,” the ICC said in a statement.
El Hishri will remain in custody in Germany until legal proceedings to have him transported to The Hague are completed.
The court relies on other countries to execute its arrest warrants. It paid tribute to German authorities for detaining El Hishri.
“I thank the national authorities for their strong and consistent cooperation with the Court, including leading to this recent arrest,” ICC Registrar Osvaldo Zavala Giler said in a statement.
The United Nations Security Council called on the ICC to open an investigation in Libya in 2011 amid violence that led to the toppling of Muammar Qaddafi and morphed into a crippling civil war. The court issued a warrant for the longtime Libyan strongman, but he was killed by rebels before he could be detained.
The court has arrest warrants out for eight other Libyan suspects, including one of Qaddafi’s sons. Earlier this year, authorities in Libya accepted the court’s jurisdiction over the country from 2011 through to the end of 2027.
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Libyan accused of war crimes has been arrested in Germany, ICC says
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Libyan accused of war crimes has been arrested in Germany, ICC says
- El Hishri will remain in Germany until his transfer to The Hague
- The ICC thanked German authorities for their cooperation
Israel committed atrocity crimes in Gaza, UN report says
- It found that Israel’s actions had imposed “conditions of life increasingly incompatible with Palestinians’ continued existence as a group in Gaza“
GENEVA: Israeli forces committed serious violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza and carried out atrocity crimes, a UN report published on Thursday said.
Intensified Israeli attacks and the forcible transfer of Palestinians appeared aimed at a permanent demographic shift in Gaza “raising concerns over ethnic cleansing,” the report by the UN human rights office said.
The holding and mistreatment of hostages by the Hamas Islamist militant group may amount to war crimes, it said.
Israel’s permanent mission in Geneva dismissed the report’s findings about Israel’s actions, and said in a statement that the UN human rights office had lost its credibility.
“Office of the High Commissioner is engaged in a vicious campaign of demonization and disinformation against the State of Israel,” it said.
Hamas did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
ETHNIC CLEANSING CONCERNS
The 17-page report investigated events in Gaza from November 2024 to October 31, 2025.
It found that Israel’s actions had imposed “conditions of life increasingly incompatible with Palestinians’ continued existence as a group in Gaza,” the report said.
Famine found in some parts of Gaza last August by a global hunger monitor and malnutrition resulted directly from Israel’s actions, the report said.
Militarised distribution centers run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) backed by Israel and the United States “failed utterly” to deliver humanitarian aid at the scale required, violating Israel’s obligations under international humanitarian law, it said.
Israeli practices in Gaza and the occupied West Bank indicated an accelerating effort to consolidate the annexation of large parts of occupied Palestinian territory, with unlawful use of force by Israeli security forces, the report said.
“During the reporting period, intensified attacks, the methodical destruction of entire neighborhoods and the denial of humanitarian assistance appeared to aim at a permanent demographic shift in Gaza,” it said.
“This, together with forcible transfers, which appear to aim at a permanent displacement, raise concerns over ethnic cleansing in Gaza and the West Bank.”
Intensified Israeli attacks and the forcible transfer of Palestinians appeared aimed at a permanent demographic shift in Gaza “raising concerns over ethnic cleansing,” the report by the UN human rights office said.
The holding and mistreatment of hostages by the Hamas Islamist militant group may amount to war crimes, it said.
Israel’s permanent mission in Geneva dismissed the report’s findings about Israel’s actions, and said in a statement that the UN human rights office had lost its credibility.
“Office of the High Commissioner is engaged in a vicious campaign of demonization and disinformation against the State of Israel,” it said.
Hamas did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
ETHNIC CLEANSING CONCERNS
The 17-page report investigated events in Gaza from November 2024 to October 31, 2025.
It found that Israel’s actions had imposed “conditions of life increasingly incompatible with Palestinians’ continued existence as a group in Gaza,” the report said.
Famine found in some parts of Gaza last August by a global hunger monitor and malnutrition resulted directly from Israel’s actions, the report said.
Militarised distribution centers run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) backed by Israel and the United States “failed utterly” to deliver humanitarian aid at the scale required, violating Israel’s obligations under international humanitarian law, it said.
Israeli practices in Gaza and the occupied West Bank indicated an accelerating effort to consolidate the annexation of large parts of occupied Palestinian territory, with unlawful use of force by Israeli security forces, the report said.
“During the reporting period, intensified attacks, the methodical destruction of entire neighborhoods and the denial of humanitarian assistance appeared to aim at a permanent demographic shift in Gaza,” it said.
“This, together with forcible transfers, which appear to aim at a permanent displacement, raise concerns over ethnic cleansing in Gaza and the West Bank.”
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