The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif in connection with alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The warrants, announced on Thursday, come amid ongoing violence between Israel and Hamas that has resulted in widespread civilian casualties and destruction.
The ICC alleged that Netanyahu and Gallant are responsible for war crimes in Gaza, specifically the deliberate deprivation of essential resources, including food, water, medicine, fuel, and electricity, from October 8, 2023, to May 20, 2024.
These actions are said to have severely impacted Gaza’s civilian population during Israel’s military operations against Hamas. The ICC’s prosecutor, Karim Khan, has emphasized that these allegations represent violations of international law aimed at protecting civilians in conflict zones.
“The actions committed by these individuals have led to significant loss of life and suffering for thousands of civilians, which constitutes a grave violation of international humanitarian law,” Khan said in a statement.
In a separate ruling, the court issued an arrest warrant for Mohammed Deif, a senior leader of Hamas, who is accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder, torture, and sexual violence during the attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Despite Israel’s claim that Deif was killed in an airstrike in southern Gaza in July, the ICC has stated that it cannot confirm his death and has proceeded with the warrant.
The warrants stem from an application filed by the ICC prosecutor in May, which targeted several Israeli officials, including Netanyahu and Gallant, as well as prominent Hamas leaders such as Yahya Sinwar and Ismail Haniyeh. Both Sinwar and Haniyeh were reportedly killed during the conflict.
The Israeli government has strongly rejected the ICC’s actions. Prime Minister Netanyahu called the arrest warrants a “disgrace” and described them as an unjust attack on Israel’s military and people.
“We will continue to defend our citizens and protect our country without compromise,” Netanyahu stated.
Former Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman also voiced strong opposition to the ICC’s decision, emphasizing that Israel would not apologise for its military actions aimed at combating terrorism.
“Israel is committed to defending its citizens and will not compromise on the fight against terrorism,” Lieberman wrote on social media.
Meanwhile, opposition leader Yair Lapid condemned the ICC ruling, framing Israel’s military operations as necessary for survival in the face of threats from “terrorist organizations.” Lapid stated. (FTN)