Devers passionately argued that the case for genocide against Palestinians was clear, insisting that the international community had an obligation to intervene.[GETTY]
French lawyer Gilles Devers, a prominent defender of Palestinian rights, died on Tuesday at the age of 68 after a prolonged illness.
The Lyon-based law expert’s death came just five days after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes — a milestone he had long fought for.
Devers was a staunch advocate of justice for Palestinians, playing a key role in the legal battle to bring Israeli leaders before international courts for their actions against Palestinians.
His work helped shape the legal framework that led to the ICC’s landmark arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, which were issued on 21 November.
“It is clear for me that in the situation of Palestine, we have all the criteria of the case about genocide,” Devers told Al Jazeera at the time. “Governments must choose which camp they are on if they support human rights or genocide. They cannot give speeches about international law and human rights and then accept Israel’s attack without doing nothing,” he added.
Devers, often described as the “legal maestro” of this cause, was instrumental in organising and supporting legal actions on behalf of Palestinian victims. He spent more than three decades working to hold Israeli officials accountable for actions against Palestinians.
He had a longstanding partnership with Palestinian groups, including victims of Israeli military actions in Gaza. In 2018, Devers and his team gathered over 3,000 testimonies and files from Gaza, documenting the deaths, injuries, and suffering of Palestinians during Israel’s military repression of the ‘Great March of Return’ protest movement.
Devers also represented various Palestinian factions, including Hamas, with whom he worked closely to facilitate the Palestinian Authority’s accession to the ICC in 2014.
One of Devers’ most notable legal victories was his role in supporting the Palestinian Authority’s bid to become a member of the ICC, which opened the door for legal actions against Israel in international courts.
He passionately argued that the case for genocide against Palestinians was clear, insisting that the international community had an obligation to intervene.
On the day the warrants were issued, he told his son: “Now I can die in peace.”
He was not only a defender of Palestinian rights but also a key legal figure in defending the Sahrawi cause, representing the Polisario Front.
In October 2024, Devers secured a significant legal victory at the European Court of Justice, overturning trade agreements between Morocco and the European Union.
In the aftermath of his death, tributes poured in from across the globe.
The Palestinian Embassy in France described Devers as a “committed lawyer” who played a crucial role in the Palestinian state’s efforts to gain membership in the ICC. His work, they said, used international law as a powerful tool to combat impunity and defend the rights of the Palestinian people.
In a statement, they said: “Among the numerous historic contributions, Devers has played a determinant role in the membership process of the Palestinian State to the International Criminal Court.
“He has been one of the key architects of this courageous initiative; using international justice as an essential tool to recognise the rights of the Palestinian people and fight against impunity.”
Lema Nazeeh, another prominent Palestinian lawyer, remembered Devers as a “true hero” who, together with 200 other lawyers, defended Palestinians against genocide.
Expressing her admiration for her colleague, she said: “Humanity has lost another hero, a lawyer who defended occupied people across the world.”
