The International Criminal Court sent formal notices to Israel and Palestine about the upcoming investigation of possible war crimes, giving them a month to ask for an adjournment, proving that they were conducting their investigation.

Earlier, the ICC announced that it is investigating possible war crimes committed by Israel and Palestinian militants at the request of the Palestinians, who joined the court in 2015 after they were granted observer status at the UN General Assembly.

Israel vehemently condemned the investigation, accusing the ICC of bias and claiming it had no jurisdiction because the Palestinians had no state. Israel is not a member of the ICC, but its citizens can be arrested abroad if a warrant is issued.

ICC prosecutors confirmed to the Associated Press that letters were sent on March 9 to all member states of the court and those states that normally exercise jurisdiction, including Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

Israeli and Palestinian officials declined to comment.

The ICC is expected to focus on the 2014 war in Gaza, Israel's crackdown on border protests in Gaza in recent years, and Israel's settlement activities in the occupied West Bank. The ICC will also consider firing rockets from Gaza into civilian areas in Israel.

International law prohibits the movement of civilians into territory occupied during a war. Israel views Jerusalem as its unified capital and the West Bank as a special case, whose future status must be determined through negotiations with the Palestinians.

Israeli Channel 13 reported that the Article 18 letter was received last week and that Israel has about three weeks left to respond. The National Security Council discussed this issue without making a decision.

Palestinians have expressed outrage at the idea that the ICC is investigating rocket attacks or the use of civilians as human shields by Hamas. They view such actions as self-defense and are unlikely to seek an adjournment by starting their investigation.