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Prosecutors in The Hague are also seeking the detention of Israel’s former defence minister, Yoav Gallant
The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague announced on Thursday that it has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to the Gaza conflict.
Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif has also been named in a warrant for similar charges.
The court accuses Netanyahu and Gallant of using starvation as a method of warfare, alleging they deliberately deprived Gaza’s civilian population of essential supplies, including food, water, and medicine.
Prosecutors claim there was “no obvious military necessity” for such actions, which amount to violations of international law.
Both Israeli politicians could face arrest if they travel to any of the 123 countries that are signatories to the ICC’s Rome Statute.
The charges are part of a broader ICC investigation that includes alleged crimes by Hamas during its October 7 attacks on Israel.
Prosecutors have accused Deif, the mastermind of the assault, of murder, torture, and hostage-taking. Israel claims to have killed Deif in an airstrike earlier this year, though Hamas has not confirmed his death.
The move has sparked an immediate backlash. Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett called the ICC warrants a “mark of shame,” while opposition leader Yair Lapid labeled the decision “a reward for terrorism.”
The Israeli government has consistently denied committing war crimes and rejects the court’s jurisdiction. The US and Russia – among others – also don’t recognise the ICC.
Israel has challenged the ICC’s jurisdiction and argued that it was not given the opportunity to investigate the allegations internally. Netanyahu’s government has dismissed the Hague’s actions as politically motivated interference.
In Washington, incoming Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune has threatened sanctions against the ICC, echoing earlier House-approved legislation. “If the ICC does not reverse this outrageous action, the Senate must act to sanction the court,” Thune said.
Other Republican lawmakers, including Senator Susan Collins, pledged to support Israel and press for punitive measures against the ICC.
The ICC prosecutor, Karim Khan, initially requested arrest warrants in May, alleging widespread violations during Israel’s military response to Hamas. The court said its Pre-Trial Chamber found “reasonable grounds” to believe the accused were responsible for crimes against humanity, including persecution and inhumane acts.
Last year, the ICC issued similar warrants for the detention of both Russian President Vladimir Putin and the country’s Children’s Rights Commissioner Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova.
