ICC Seeks Arrest Warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant, Hamas Leaders
The International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor, Karim Khan, announced on Monday that he had requested arrest warrants for Hamas leaders and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the October 7 attack and the ongoing war in Gaza. Khan’s statement specified Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif, and Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas, along with Netanyahu and Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, as the targets of the warrants.
The ICC judges must approve Khan’s request, which, if granted, would likely amplify international criticism of Israel’s tactics in its campaign against Hamas. Neither the Israeli government nor Hamas has responded to the announcement. Israel, not being a member of the ICC, does not recognize its jurisdiction in Israel or Gaza. However, the named individuals could be arrested if they travel to one of the court’s 124 member nations.
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Khan’s statement asserts “reasonable grounds to believe” that Sinwar, Deif, and Haniyeh are responsible for “war crimes and crimes against humanity,” including the killing of hundreds of Israeli civilians. Netanyahu and Gallant are accused of using starvation as a weapon and directing attacks against civilians.
In March, Volker Türk, the United Nations human rights chief, suggested that Israel’s restrictions on Gaza could constitute war crimes. Netanyahu has rejected the ICC’s actions, stating that they undermine Israel’s right to self-defense and set a dangerous precedent.
The ICC, an independent judicial body, prosecutes war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity. Although it cannot try defendants in absentia, arrest warrants complicate international travel for the accused.
