Itay Epshtain, an expert on international humanitarian law, said in a post on X that “Israel has already annexed 56 square kilometres (21.6sq miles) of Gaza’s occupied territory, named the ‘Netzarim Territory’”.

Israel has similar plans for territories in North Gaza and Rafah “to be permanently acquired, while 2.2 million Palestinians are interned in Khan Younis and Al Bureij,” Epstein said according to Al Jazeera, who is also a special adviser to the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).

“The UN Security Council should refer Israel’s use of armed force against the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of Palestine in breach of the prohibition of aggression, a peremptory norm of international law — to the International Criminal Court,” he added.