ICC prosecutor to reconsider decision on Gaza flotilla

THE HAGUE

Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) decided on Monday that the ICC prosecutor must reconsider decision to start an investigation or not on 2010 Gaza flotilla incident.

"Appeals Chamber nevertheless maintained that ‘ultimate decision’ as to whether or not to initiate an investigation is that of the Prosecutor," ICC said on its Twitter account.

The prosecutor must reconsider the decision by Dec. 2, it added.

The case began in 2013 when the Indian Ocean nation of Comoros, whose flag Mavi Marmara vessel sailed under, asked an ICC prosecutor to investigate the deadly raid.

The ICC prosecutor has previously decided not to investigate the attack repeatedly.

One of the Mavi Marmara attorneys, Gulden Sonmez told Anadolu Agency that they are happy about 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.

Eight Turkish nationals and an American of Turkish origin were killed in the incident and 30 others injured, including one who succumbed to his injuries nearly four years after the incident.

*Contribution and writing by Fatih Hafiz Mehmet in Ankara