The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leader Ibrahim Al-Masri, citing alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, the court announced on Thursday.
The ICC judges stated there were reasonable grounds to believe Netanyahu and Gallant were responsible for the starvation of Gaza’s population and the persecution of Palestinians. Meanwhile, Al-Masri is accused of mass killings, rape, and hostage-taking during the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks on Israel, which sparked the ongoing Gaza conflict. The prosecution noted ongoing efforts to confirm his reported death.
ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan initially sought the warrants in May, focusing on alleged crimes linked to the conflict between Hamas and Israeli forces. Israel has dismissed the ICC’s jurisdiction and denied committing war crimes, asserting that Al-Masri, also known as Mohammed Deif, was killed in an airstrike—a claim unconfirmed by Hamas.
Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett criticized the court’s actions, calling them a “mark of shame,” while opposition leader Yair Lapid condemned the decision as a “reward for terrorism.”
The ICC relies on its member states—spanning the European Union, Canada, Japan, and parts of the Middle East, including Jordan and the Palestinian territories—for enforcement, as it lacks its own police force. The court clarified that Israel’s formal recognition of its jurisdiction is not required for the case to proceed.
No immediate responses were issued by Netanyahu or Gallant, while both Israeli and Hamas leaders have rejected allegations of war crimes.
