The International Criminal Court on Thursday issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a former defense minister yoav gallantas well as Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif accused them of “war crimes” and “crimes against humanity”.
“The Chamber issued arrest warrants for two individuals, Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu and Mr. Yoav Galant, for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed from at least 8 October 2023 to at least 20 May 2024, the date on which the prosecution The application was filed for a warrant of arrest,” the three-judge panel wrote in its unanimous decision.
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“The Chamber considered that there are reasonable grounds to believe that both individuals knowingly and intentionally deprived the civilian population in Gaza of goods indispensable for their survival, including food, water, medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity. ” Added.
A warrant was also issued for Daif, the court added.
“The arrest warrant was classified as ‘secret’ to protect the safety of witnesses and the conduct of the investigation,” the court said.
“However, the Chamber has decided to release the information below because conduct similar to that addressed in the arrest warrant appears to be continuing,” the tribunal said.
This comes months after ICC prosecutor Karim Khan sought an arrest warrant for alleged crimes related to the October 7 attacks on Israel and the Israeli military response in Gaza.
The ICC further stated that Israel’s refusal to accept the Hague-based court’s jurisdiction and its denial of war crimes in Gaza does not require it to accept the court’s jurisdiction.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu condemned the arrest warrant and said Israel rejects the ICC’s absurd and false actions.
In a statement released by his office, Netanyahu said, “There is nothing worse than the war Israel is waging in Gaza.”
Former Israeli Foreign Minister Yoav Galant also criticized the ICC and said the court had lost its legitimacy with ‘absurd’ arrest warrants.
Saar said on X, “A dark moment for the International Criminal Court,” adding that it had issued “absurd orders without authority.”
Earlier in September, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said it had submitted two legal briefs challenging the ICC’s jurisdiction and arguing that the court had not provided Israel the opportunity to investigate the allegations before requesting a warrant. Had done.
“No other democracy with an independent and respected legal system like Israel has been treated in such a prejudicial manner by a prosecutor,” State Department spokesman Oren Marmorstein wrote on Twitter.
He said Israel remains “firm in its commitment to the rule of law and justice” and will continue to protect its citizens against terrorism.
The practical implications of the arrest warrant against Netanyahu may be limited because Israel and its key ally, the United States, are not members of the court, and several Hamas officials have since been killed in the conflict.
The ICC is a court of last resort that prosecutes only cases when domestic law enforcement authorities cannot or will not investigate. Israel is not a member state of the Court.
Despite the warrants, none of the suspects are likely to face judges in The Hague any time soon. The Court has no police of its own to enforce warrants, instead relying on the cooperation of its member states.
