ICC issues arrest warrants for Israel’s Netanyahu, Gallant, Hamas military commander

New Delhi, Nov 21: The International Criminal Court (ICC) have issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif.

The charges relate to alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

A pre-trial chamber of the ICC dismissed Israel's objections to its jurisdiction, clearing the way for the warrants. Israel, which does not recognise the ICC’s authority, condemned the decision as “antisemitic,” while Hamas described the move as a important milestone.

The ICC found “reasonable grounds” to believe that Netanyahu and Gallant bear responsibility for the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare and crimes against humanity, including murder and persecution. The court also alleged that both men, as civilian superiors, intentionally directed attacks against civilian populations.

For Mohammed Deif, leader of Hamas, the ICC cited evidence linking him to crimes against humanity, including murder, extermination, torture, and sexual violence, as well as war crimes such as hostage-taking. Though Israel claims Deif was killed in a July airstrike, the ICC prosecution has not confirmed his death.

Although Israel is not a party to the ICC’s founding treaty, the Rome Statute, the court ruled in 2021 that it has jurisdiction over the Palestinian territories, including Gaza, based on the UN’s recognition of Palestine’s accession to the treaty.

The impact of the ICC’s warrants will largely depend on its 124 member states. Neither Israel nor its ally, the United States, are signatories to the Rome Statute, and enforcement of the warrants remains uncertain.