ICC issues arrest warrant for Netanyahu over alleged war crimes

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The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for the Israeli Prime Minister. Benjamin Netanyahuformer Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas leader Mohammed Deif.

The warrants relate to alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in connection with the Gaza conflict and the October 2023 attacks.

The court’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, initiated the request for the warrants in May, saying there were reasonable grounds to believe Netanyahu and Gallant were “criminally responsible” for the mass famine in the Gaza Strip.

Netanyahu and Gallant blamed for mass famine in Gaza Strip

Both Israel and Hamas rejected the accusations.

Now the 124 ICC member states, excluding Israel and its ally the US, will decide whether to implement the warrants or not.

Arrest warrants issued by the ICC also make Netanyahu and Gallant internationally wanted.

They risk arrest if they travel to any country that has signed the 1998 Rome Statute.

Arrest warrants make Netanyahu and Gallant internationally wanted

The prosecutor’s case against them stems from an attack on October 7, 2023, in which Hamas terrorists killed about 1,200 people and took another 251 hostage.

Following the incident, Israel launched a military campaign to root out Hamas, killing at least 44,000 people in the Gaza Strip, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

On Thursday, the court announced it had found reasonable grounds to believe Deif was responsible for crimes against humanity and war crimes such as murder, torture, rape and hostage-taking.

The United States expressed an ambiguous position regarding the actions of the ICC

The United States has taken an ambiguous position regarding the ICC’s actions. He welcomed court orders against Russian officials for atrocities in Ukraine but condemns those who are against Netanyahu and Gallant.

This position has led to accusations of double standards from a number of UN member states.

Netanyahu condemned the ICC’s actions as “disgraceful” and “anti-Semitic”, and the US President Joe Biden criticized the prosecutor’s request, but supported Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas.