The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Thursday issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, and senior Hamas figures, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity during Gaza’s 13-month war and the October 2023 attack on Israel.
The court’s decision has sparked a firestorm of reactions. Netanyahu strongly condemned the warrant, calling it “absurd” and asserting, “There is nothing more just than the war that Israel has been waging in Gaza.”
ABC News reports that the warrants place Netanyahu and Gallant among a list of internationally wanted suspects, raising concerns about their international travel but leaving their immediate prosecution unlikely, given that Israel and the United States are not ICC members.
The ICC alleges Netanyahu and Gallant intentionally deprived Gaza’s civilian population of essential supplies, such as food, water, and medicine, during Israel’s ongoing blockade.
Meanwhile, Mohammed Deif, the commander of Hamas’ military wing, is accused of orchestrating the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel that killed 1,200 people and involved extensive war crimes, including murder and torture.
The court’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, had initially sought warrants for additional Hamas leaders, Yahya Sinwar and Ismail Haniyeh.
However, their deaths during the conflict led to the withdrawal of these requests. Israel has disputed the allegations, with its Foreign Ministry arguing that the ICC lacks jurisdiction and describing the move as discriminatory.
Human rights groups, however, welcomed the decision. Balkees Jarrah of Human Rights Watch said it “breaks through the perception that certain individuals are beyond the reach of the law.”
Despite this, experts like Yuval Shany of Hebrew University noted that enforcement remains challenging, given the ICC’s reliance on member states to detain suspects.
