The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defence minister, and a Hamas leader, Ibrahim Al-Masri, also known as Mohammed Deif, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, the court announced on Thursday.
In granting the warrants, ICC judges stated there were reasonable grounds to believe that Netanyahu and Gallant bore criminal responsibility for the starvation of Gaza and the persecution of Palestinians.
The warrant for Al-Masri includes charges related to mass killings during the October, 2023, attacks on Israel that ignited the Gaza conflict, as well as allegations of rape and the taking of hostages. The prosecution noted it would continue gathering information regarding his reported death.
In its unanimous decision to issue warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, the three-judge panel wrote, “The chamber considered that there are reasonable grounds to believe that both individuals intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity.”
ICC prosecutor Karim Khan announced on May 20 that he had sought arrest warrants for alleged crimes connected to the Hamas-led attacks on Israel and the Israeli military’s response in Gaza.
Israel has rejected the jurisdiction of the Hague-based court and denied any war crimes in Gaza. Israel also claimed it killed Al-Masri, in an airstrike, although Hamas has neither confirmed nor denied this.
PM Netanyahu’s office in a statement said that, “Israel rejects with disgust the absurd and false actions leveled against it by ICC,” the office said, calling the move antisemitic.
Former Israeli PM Naftali Bennett called the ICC’s decision to issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant a “mark of shame” for the court. Opposition leader Yair Lapid also criticised the move, describing it as “a reward for terrorism”.
Meanwhile, an official statement by Hamas said, “We call on the International Criminal Court to expand the scope of accountability to all criminal occupation leaders.”
Senior Hamas official Basem Naim termed the decision as “an important step on the path to justice” adding that it would remain a limited and spiritual step if it is not backed practically by all countries.
Both Israeli and Hamas leaders have dismissed allegations of committing war crimes.
The court lacks its own police force to enforce arrests and depends on its member states for cooperation. ICC members include all European Union nations, the UK, Japan, Brazil, Australia, and Canada, as well as the Palestinian territories and Jordan in the Middle East.
The ICC has stated that Israel’s acceptance of its jurisdiction is not a requirement.
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