ICC’s top prosecutor seeking arrest warrants for two Israeli leaders and Hamas for war crimes

The International Criminal Court’s (ICC) most senior prosecutor Karim Khan is pursuing arrest warrants for the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Defence Minister Yoav Galant and the Hamas leaders.

The chief prosecutor said on Monday that after 7 October attacks in Israel he is seeking arrest warrants for the Hamas leaders, Ismail Haniyeh, Mohammed Deif and Yahya Sinwar.

Khan is seeking the arrest warrants for war crimes against humanity after Hamas 7 October 2023 attacks on Israeli civilians and against Netanyahu for the military strikes on Gaza which has seen more than 35,000 Palestinians killed.

Khan has accused Netanyahu and the Defence Minister for alledgedly starving Palestinian civilians, wilful killing, the extermination and or murder of Palestinians.

Hamas are accused of war crimes against humanity, murder, rape, torture and hostage taking.

The ICC’s chief prosecutor said in a statement on Monday, “During my own visit to Kibbutz Be’eri and Kibbutz Kfar Aza, as well as to the site of Supernova Music Festival in Re’im, I saw the devastating scenes of these attacks and the profound impact of the unconscionable crimes charged in the applications filed today.

“Speaking with survivors, I heard how the love within a family, the deepest bonds between a parent and a child, were contorted to inflict unfathomable pain through calculated cruelty and extreme callousness.

“These acts demand accountability.”

Khan spoke about the charges against Netanyahu and Gallant, he said, “the crimes against humanity charged were committed as part of a widespread and systematic attack against the Palestinian civilian population pursuant to State policy.

“These crimes, in our assessment, continue to this day.”

He added, “The effects of the use of starvation as a method of warfare, together with other attacks and collective punishment against the civilian population of Gaza are acute, visible and widely known, and have been confirmed by multiple witnesses interviewed by my Office, including local and international medical doctors.

“They include malnutrition, dehydration, profound suffering and an increasing number of deaths among the Palestinian population, including babies, other children, and women.”

The application for the arrest warrants will now be assessed by ICC judges.

Netanyahu previously stated that the ICC issuing the warrants “would be an outrage of historic proportions.”

The chief prosecutor said, “My Office will not hesitate to submit further applications for warrants of arrest if and when we consider that the threshold of a realistic prospect of conviction has been met.

“I renew my call for all parties in the current conflict to comply with the law now.”