ICC issues war crimes arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant

The International Criminal Court issued apprehension warrants Thursday for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and erstwhile defence curate Yoav Gallant for alleged warfare crimes and crimes against humanity successful Israel’s warfare against Hamas militants successful Gaza.

In a connection connected its website, the ICC said the warrants complaint each antheral with the warfare transgression of starvation arsenic a method of warfare, on with crimes against humanity including murder, persecution and different inhumane acts.

The warrants screen acts committed from “at slightest 8 October 2023 until astatine slightest 20 May 2024, the time the Prosecution filed the applications for warrants of arrest.”

Israel is not a subordinate of the ICC, and Netanyahu and Gallant bash not look immoderate contiguous hazard of prosecution. But the menace of apprehension could make issues if either antheral travels abroad.

Netanyahu condemned the ICC apprehension warrant. A connection from his bureau Thursday said Israel “rejects with disgust the absurd and mendacious actions.”

The tribunal besides issued an apprehension warrant for Hamas subject main Muhammad Deif for crimes against humanity, including murder, hostage taking and intersexual violence. Those charges are drawn from Hamas’ October 7, 2023 onslaught connected Israel that killed immoderate 1,200 people, including 46 U.S. citizens. Hamas besides took astir 250 hostages.

Following the attack, Israel began a run to destruct Hamas successful Gaza that has killed astir 44,000 people, according to the Gaza wellness ministry. The ministry does not separate betwixt civilians and combatants successful its number but says much than fractional of those killed were women and children.

When the archetypal charges were brought to the tribunal successful May by ICC main authoritative Karim Khan, Netanyahu issued a connection calling them “a motivation outrage of historical proportions. It volition formed an everlasting people of shame connected the planetary court.”

Netanyahu maintained that “Israel is waging a conscionable warfare against Hamas,” and the “absurd” charges against him and Gallant “are simply an effort to contradict Israel the basal close of self-defense.”

Netanyahu fired Gallant earlier this month, saying the spot betwixt the 2 men had evaporated implicit the people of Israel’s warfare connected Gaza.

Hamas has been designated a violent radical by the United States, Britain. and different Western countries.