ICC issues arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant and Hamas leader Mohammed Deif

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. File
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Judges at the International Criminal Court have issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defence Chief, as well as a Hamas leader, Ibrahim Al-Masri, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The move comes after the ICC prosecutor Karim Khan announced on May 20, that he was seeking arrest warrants for alleged crimes connected to the Oct.7, 2023 attacks on Israel by Hamas and the Israeli military response in Gaza.

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The ICC said Israel’s acceptance of the court’s jurisdiction was not required.

Israel has rejected the jurisdiction of the Hague-based court and denies war crimes in Gaza. Israel has said it killed Al-Masri, also known as Mohammed Deif, in airstrike but Hamas has neither confirmed nor denied this.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett termed ICC arrest warrants against PM Netanyahu and Mr. Gallant as “ a mark of shame” for ICC.