Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
The decision had already been evaluated since May. International organizations speak of “renewed hope for justice” with the arrest warrant against Netanyahu, Gallant and Deif.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for the Israeli prime minister this Thursday. Benjamin Netanyahufor alleged war crimes committed in Gaza.
But he wasn’t the only one: also the former Minister of Defense, Yoav Gallantand the military chief of Hamas, Mohammed Deiffor alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes.
According to local authorities, cited by , the number of deaths following the Israeli military attack on the Palestinian enclave, which has lasted more than a year, has already exceeded 44 mil.
This Thursday, the ICC rejected Israel’s challenges to its jurisdiction. He said the warrants issued for Netanyahu and Gallant were related to “crimes against humanity and war crimes committed from at least October 8, 2023 to at least May 20, 2024″, which includes “the war crime of starvation as a method of war; and crimes against humanity of murder, persecution and other inhumane acts”, says the announcement made by the Court.
The report also guarantees that reasons were found to believe that the leaders bear criminal responsibility as “civilian superiors” for the war crime of “intentionally directing an attack against the civilian population“, intentionally and knowingly depriving the civilian population in Gaza of objects essential to their survival, including food, water, medicines and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity.”
In May, ICC Attorney General Karim AA Khan was submitting arrest requests for the highest-ranking Israeli state officials.
Now, Hamas leader Deif was added to the equationat a time when the organization classified by the UN as terrorist has increased.
According to , previous leaders who were faced with arrest warrants from the ICC suffered limitations on their ability to travel, not being able to pass through countries legally obliged to arrest them.
ICC judges have already issued 56 , which have resulted in 21 arrests and appearances before the court. Others 27 people remain free and the charges against 7 people were also dropped — because these people died.
Balkees Jarrahdeputy director for international justice at the organization Human Rights Watchthat “the ICC arrest warrants against senior Israeli leaders and a Hamas official break the idea that certain individuals are beyond the reach of the law“, therefore praising the issuance of the mandate.
British NGO Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) also said the ICC announcement “should be a turning point for Gaza and the entire regiono”.
But there are those who feel outraged by the decision, such as the Israeli president, Isaac Herzogwhich refers to a “dark day for justice” and “a dark day for humanity”.
Also the US Representative Mike Waltz, Trump’s chosen national security adviser, condemned the ICCwhich, as he says, “has no credibility”.
“Israel legally defended its people and its borders from genocidal terrorists. You can expect a strong response to anti-Semitic prejudice from the ICC and UN in January,” he wrote in .
The minister’s office also reacted to the decision: it says the accusations are “absurd and false” and the ICC “is a politically biased and discriminatory body.”
