The events being investigated are said to have taken place between January and May 2024 in Israel, Egypt, and Gaza, says the office of the French anti-terror prosecutor in a statement. The investigation is based on a report from two organizations that came in at the end of last year.
According to French legislation, individuals residing in France can be prosecuted and tried if the suspicions concern crimes against humanity or genocide.
The prosecutors do not specifically mention who is covered by the suspicions, but according to French media, it concerns two pro-Israeli organizations, one of which was previously sanctioned by the EU and the US for having blocked emergency aid to Gaza.
However, the sanctions were lifted by the US on the same day that Donald Trump was sworn in as president.
The question of whether Israel is committing genocide in Gaza has been before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague since December 2023, where South Africa has taken Israel to court. The ruling is expected to take several years.
