The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas’s military commander, the mastermind behind the 7 October attack, Mohammed Deif. The ICC’s pre-trial chamber announced its decision after rejecting Israel’s challenges to the court’s jurisdiction.
The judges found “reasonable grounds” to assert that the three men “bear criminal responsibility” for alleged war crimes, including “the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare; and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts”, during the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Both Israel and Hamas have categorically denied the allegations.
The ICC has accused Netanyahu and Gallant of authorizing actions that allegedly violated international humanitarian law during the war, though specific charges have not yet been disclosed in detail.
“Taken in bad faith, the outrageous decision at the ICC has turned universal justice into a universal laughing stock,” Israel’s President Isaac Herzog criticized the decision on X. “The decision has chosen the side of terror and evil over democracy and freedom, and turned the very system of justice into a human shield for Hamas’ crimes against humanity.”
Former Israeli Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett, described the warrants issued for Netanyahu and Gallant as a “mark of shame” for ICC.
Israel, which is not a member of the ICC, has consistently rejected the court’s authority, claiming it has no jurisdiction over its leaders or military actions. While the ICC’s 124 member states, which include the majority of European and Latin American nations as well as numerous countries in Africa and Asia, would be required to detain Netanyahu and Gallant should they enter their jurisdictions, the court lacks the authority to enforce the warrants outside its states.
Since 7 October, 2023, the continuous Israeli assault on Gaza has led to more than 40,000 documented Palestinian deaths and more than 100,000 injuries, according to local health authorities. Among the victims, a significant majority are women and children.
This story is developing.
