The Hague: The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leader Mohammed Deif, in connection with alleged war crimes committed during the ongoing Gaza conflict.
The warrants, issued on Thursday, could subject Netanyahu and Gallant to arrest if they travel abroad to any of the 123 countries that are signatories to the Rome Statute, which governs the ICC. In a separate development, unconfirmed reports suggest that Mohammed Deif, the Hamas military leader, may have been killed in an Israeli airstrike.
The arrest warrants were requested by ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan in May 2023, based on accusations that Netanyahu and Gallant are responsible for causing mass starvation in Gaza. The court believes that their actions contributed to war crimes and crimes against humanity by deliberately depriving civilians of basic necessities such as food, water, medicine, fuel, and electricity.
The ICC’s investigation into Deif concerns his alleged involvement in crimes against humanity, including murder, torture, and hostage-taking, related to the deadly Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. During the attack, Hamas fighters killed more than 1,200 Israelis, most of whom were civilians, and abducted over 250 people, including children and elderly citizens.
The ICC panel of judges ruled unanimously that there are reasonable grounds to believe Netanyahu and Gallant’s actions were directly linked to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Israel has consistently rejected the court’s jurisdiction, and its Foreign Ministry filed legal challenges in September, arguing that the ICC did not allow Israel to conduct its own investigations into the allegations before issuing the warrants.
Despite Israel’s objections, the ICC maintains that its jurisdiction does not depend on Israel’s consent, and the warrants could be enforced internationally if Netanyahu or Gallant travel to a country that recognizes the court’s authority.
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