The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif. The warrants, related to alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, stem from actions during the ongoing conflict that began on October 7, 2023.
ICC Jurisdiction and Charges The ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber rejected Israel’s challenges to its jurisdiction and proceeded with the warrants. The court found reasonable grounds to believe that Netanyahu and Gallant were co-perpetrators in war crimes, specifically “starvation as a method of warfare” and crimes against humanity, including murder and persecution.
The charges against Netanyahu and Gallant allege they deprived Gaza’s civilian population of essential survival items and hindered humanitarian aid. The ICC stated the warrants are connected to alleged crimes committed from October 8, 2023, to May 20, 2024. Hamas Commander Warrant Mohammed Deif, Hamas’ military head, is also named in the warrants. The ICC found reasonable grounds to believe Deif committed crimes against humanity and war crimes related to the October 7 attacks. This warrant was issued despite Israel’s claim of Deif’s death earlier this year.
Situation in the State of Palestine:#ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I rejects the State of Israel’s challenges to jurisdiction and issues warrants of arrest for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant. Learn more ⤵️ https://t.co/opHUjZG8BL
— Int'l Criminal Court (@IntlCrimCourt) November 21, 2024
Conflict Background The case stems from events on October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked southern Israel, resulting in 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages. Israel’s subsequent military response in Gaza has led to at least 44,000 deaths, including many children. Israeli Response Israel denies the war crime accusations and does not recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction. Israeli officials have urged allies not to enforce the warrants, describing the ICC prosecutor as a “rogue prosecutor who’s out to demonize the one and only Jewish state.”
Netanyahu’s office dismissed the accusations as “absurd and false” and stated that the Prime Minister “will continue to lead Israel in its just war against genocidal terrorists and will not recoil or withdraw until all of the war’s goals — that were set at the start of the battle — are achieved.”
#ICC Prosecutor @KarimKhanQC announces applications for arrest warrants in relation to Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant in the context of the situation in the State of #Palestine ⤵️https://t.co/WqDZecXFZq pic.twitter.com/bxqLWc5M6u
— Int'l Criminal Court (@IntlCrimCourt) May 20, 2024
Israeli President Isaac Herzog criticized the ICC’s decision, calling it a “dark day for justice” and accusing the court of siding with terror over democracy. Herzog’s statement highlighted the plight of Israeli hostages held by Hamas and accused the ICC of ignoring Israel’s right to defend itself. Hamas Response Hamas welcomed the warrants, urging global enforcement and an end to what it calls “genocide” against Gaza civilians, a claim denied by Israel.
ICC Enforcement The enforcement of these warrants depends on the ICC’s 124 member states, which do not include Israel or the United States. The ICC, established in 2002, prosecutes genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. In 2021, it ruled that it had jurisdiction over the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza. As the situation continues to unfold, the international community watches closely to see how these warrants will impact the ongoing conflict and diplomatic relations in the region.
