MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

ICC issues arrest warrants against Israel's PM and others

The measure was in acquiescense to Chief Prosecutor Karin Khan's request filed back in May

The International Criminal Court (ICC) Thursday issued arrest warrants against
Israel's Primer Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant as well as Hamas leader Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri, also known as Mohammed Deif, for crimes against humanity and war crimes in the Gaza Strip, it was announced at The Hague. The measure was in acquiescense to Chief Prosecutor Karin Khan's request filed back in May. Khan had also sought warrants for two other senior Hamas figures, Yahya Sinwar and Ismail Haniyeh, who have since been killed by Israeli forces.

 While Israel has rejected the charges, which include using starvation as a weapon of war and “intentionally directing an attack against the civilian population,” the ICC insisted it was not necessary for Israel to recognize its competece ”as the Court can exercise its jurisdiction on the basis of territorial jurisdiction of Palestine.”

The ICC only prosecutes cases when domestic law enforcement authorities cannot or will not investigate. Israel and its major ally, the United States, are not members of the court. Hamas has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, Canada, and the European Union.

“The Chamber issued warrants of arrest for two individuals, Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu and Mr. Yoav Gallant, for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed from at least 8 October 2023 until at least 20 May 2024”, a statement from the court read.

There are “reasonable grounds” to believe that Gallant and Netanyahu “intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity,” the three-judge panel wrote in the rationale for its unanimous decision.

The ICC has no police to enforce warrants, instead relying on cooperation from member states. The ruling, however, might hinder Netanyahu's traveling while Gallant has been dismissed from his post for unmatching views with those of the Prime Minister.