 |
| Benjamin Netanyahu (L), Yoav Gallant (C) and Mohammed Deif (R) |
The court found "reasonable grounds" to believe the three individuals were criminally responsible for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. Israel and Hamas both reject the accusations.
The Israeli prime minister's office condemned the decision as "antisemitic," while Hamas welcomed the warrants, calling them a significant historical step. The impact of these warrants will largely depend on whether the ICC’s 124 member states, which do not include Israel or the United States, decide to enforce them.
The ICC has jurisdiction over genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crim
es in countries party to the Rome Statute. Israel, not being a member, rejects the court’s authority. However, the ICC ruled in 2021 that it had jurisdiction over the occupied Palestinian territories.
The charges stem from the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, in which over 1,200 Israelis were killed. Israel’s subsequent military campaign has reportedly led to over 44,000 deaths in Gaza. The ICC prosecutor’s case accuses Deif of responsibility for murder, torture, and other war crimes, while Netanyahu and Gallant face charges related to crimes against humanity and the war crime of intentionally targeting civilians.
Israel has rejected the charges, with President Isaac Herzog calling the ICC’s decision "outrageous." The White House also dismissed the ruling, reiterating that the court has no jurisdiction over the matter. Meanwhile, the EU’s foreign policy chief emphasized that the court’s decision should be respected and implemented by EU member states.
0 Comments