The International Criminal Court is conducting an investigation into potential war crimes against journalists in Gaza since the outbreak of the conflict between Israel and Hamas militants, following a complaint filed by media advocacy group Reporters Without Borders. Since the war began, at least 79 journalists and media professionals, mostly Palestinian, have been killed. This includes two Palestinian journalists working for Al Jazeera who were killed in an Israeli strike on their car. In response, the United Nations's rights office expressed serious concern over the high death toll of media workers in Gaza.

The war was sparked by an attack from Hamas gunmen that resulted in a high number of deaths in Israel, mostly civilians. Israel has since responded with relentless bombardment and a ground invasion of Gaza that have led to the deaths of over 23,000 people, the majority of whom were women and children, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry. Meanwhile, Yemen's Houthi group Ansarullah targeted a vessel in the Red Sea in protest against the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The Houthis have vowed to continue their attacks until Israel halts its war on Gaza and issued a warning that they would target US warships if they are provoked.

In a related development, the US and Israel have agreed to a UN assessment mission in northern Gaza to evaluate the conditions for displaced Palestinians to safely return home. Belgium's Deputy Prime Minister has expressed support for South Africa's case against Israel, calling for Belgium to take action at the International Court of Justice to address the threat of genocide in Gaza. There will be hearings in The Hague later this week.