Jerusalem: The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas military leader Mr Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri, commonly known as ‘Deif’, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
This is the first time that leaders from a democracy and a Western-aligned country have been charged by the ICC, marking a significant moment in the court’s history.
Netanyahu’s office condemned the decision as “antisemitic.”
The antisemitic decision of the international court in The Hague is a modern Dreyfus trial, and it will end the same way. pic.twitter.com/e1l8PMghrB
— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) November 21, 2024
The ICC alleges that Netanyahu and Gallant are responsible for crimes including murder, persecution, inhumane acts, and war crimes such as starvation, by restricting essential supplies like food, water, and medical aid to Gaza’s civilians, contributing to severe humanitarian crises and deaths, including among children.
The charges stem from Israel’s retaliation against Hamas following the surprise attack on October 7, 2023. The war has led to thousands of civilian deaths and widespread displacement, with significant damage to Gaza’s infrastructure.
The ICC’s ruling found reasonable grounds to believe that the Israeli leaders intentionally targeted civilians and restricted medical supplies, leading to immense suffering.
The court’s investigation focused on the period from October 8, 2023, to May 20, 2024. The court concluded that Netanyahu and Gallant, as civilian superiors, were criminally responsible for directing attacks on Gaza’s civilian population and causing conditions that resulted in death and suffering.
Israel’s challenges to the ICC’s jurisdiction over the situation in Palestine were rejected. Israel had argued that the ICC could not exercise jurisdiction without Israel’s consent, but the court affirmed its authority based on Palestine’s territorial scope, which includes Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem.
The ICC also dismissed Israel’s request for a new notification on the investigation, citing previous refusals for deferral.
The ICC also issued a warrant for Mohammed Deif, accusing him of crimes against humanity, including murder, torture, and rape, and war crimes like taking hostages and cruel treatment.
The arrest warrants could put additional pressure on Netanyahu’s government amid U.S. efforts to negotiate a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
However, the move might strengthen Netanyahu’s position within Israel, where many view the ICC’s jurisdiction as an unwarranted interference in the country’s internal affairs.
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