Israel on Wednesday condemned the International Criminal Court's move to open a investigation in the Palestinian territories as a "political decision", while the Palestinians applauded the "long-awaited" step.
"The prosecutor's decision to open an investigation is morally bankrupt and legally flawed," Israel's Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi said after ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda announced the launch of a formal probe.
"This is a political decision made by a prosecutor at the end of her term in an attempt to dictate her successor's priorities," Ashkenazi added.
Bensouda, who is due to be replaced by Karim Kahn in June, said there is a "reasonable basis" to believe crimes were committed by members of the Israel Defense Forces, Israeli authorities, Hamas and Palestinian armed groups during the 2014 Gaza conflict.
"The prosecutor's decision will only further polarise Israelis and Palestinians, and distance them from the very dialogue needed to resolve the conflict between them," Ashkenazi said.
"The State of Israel will take every necessary measure to protect its citizens and soldiers from legal persecution," he added.
The Palestinian Authority, based in the West Bank, welcomed the probe, insisting the "crimes committed by officials of the occupying power (Israel) against the Palestinian people are ongoing, systematic, and widespread."
Israel has occupied the West Bank since the 1967 Six-Day War and has maintained a crippling blockade of the Gaza Strip since 2007, when the Islamist Hamas took power in the Palestinian enclave.
The PA called for "particular urgency to promptly conclude investigations into these crimes."
It also urged all state parties to the ICC to "refrain from politicising these independent proceedings."
Israel is not a member of the Hague-based ICC, but Palestine has been a state party to the court since 2015.
ICC judges paved the way for a war crimes investigation when they ruled a month ago that the court has jurisdiction over the situation due to Palestine's membership.