The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants yesterday for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leader Mohammed Deif. The three are charged with alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity amid the Israel-Hamas war.
Hamas leader Deif—who Israel said was killed in a July airstrike—is accused of having a key role in the murder, rape, and torture during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which resulted in 1,200 deaths and over 250 hostages. Netanyahu and Gallant are accused of instigating widespread starvation by restricting food and humanitarian aid and intentionally targeting civilians in Gaza, where the death toll has passed 44,000, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.
The ICC, an independent court that collaborates with the United Nations, relies on countries recognizing its jurisdiction to enforce its warrants—an authority not recognized by the US and China. Other leaders who face warrants include ex-Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Comments