Spain will probe 'rights violations in Gaza': attorney general

Spain will probe "human rights violations in Gaza" to assist the International Criminal Court, which has sought arrest warrants for Israeli officials over alleged war crimes, the attorney general said Thursday.

Spain's top prosecutor, Alvaro Garcia Ortiz, has "issued a decree to create a working team tasked with investigating violations of international human rights law in Gaza", the attorney general's office said in a statement.

The investigative team's mission will be to "gather evidence and make it available to the competent body, thereby fulfilling Spain's obligations regarding international cooperation and human rights", it said.

"Faced with the current situation in the Palestinian territories, all evidence, direct or indirect, that can be gathered in our country" on "crimes committed" in Gaza "must be included" for potential use in the ICC case, it added.

The ICC has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Israel's campaign in Gaza.

Spain has also joined a case before another world court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza.

Both Hague-based courts have faced fierce criticism from Israel and its allies over the cases.

In February, the United States slapped sanctions on the ICC, saying it had "abused its power" with the Netanyahu arrest warrant.

Israel has challenged the 125-member state ICC's jurisdiction in the case.