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.
The pre-trial chamber ruled that there are “reasonable grounds” to believe the three are criminally responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the Israel-Hamas war.
The ICC prosecutor, Karim Khan, sought the warrants for the events of 7 October 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages.
Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza has resulted in at least 44,000 deaths, according to Hamas-run health authorities.
The court alleges that Netanyahu and Gallant bear responsibility for crimes such as murder, persecution, and using starvation as a method of warfare.
Hamas leaders, including Deif, are accused of murder, torture, and taking hostages, among other violations.
Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office condemned the warrants as “antisemitic” and compared the decision to the infamous Dreyfus trial.
Hamas, however, called the warrants a “historical precedent” and urged the international community to enforce them.
The ICC’s 124 member states, which exclude Israel and the United States, are tasked with enforcing the warrants.
