Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leader Ibrahim Al-Masri are all facing arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged crimes against humanity in the ongoing Gaza conflict.
ICC judges stated there were reasonable grounds to believe that Netanyahu and Gallant were responsible for serious crimes as part of an assault on Gaza’s civilian population. The accusations also include maintaining a blockade that created extreme conditions, leading to civilian deaths from malnutrition and dehydration.
In response, Israel has denounced the accusations as shameful and absurd, rejecting both the war crimes allegations and the ICC’s jurisdiction. Similarly, the U.S. criticized the decision, arguing that the prosecutor had rushed the arrest warrants and made errors.
However, residents in Gaza expressed joy and hope at the warrants against the Israeli leaders, believing they may bring justice and potentially mark the end of the war.
Regarding Al-Masri, the ICC’s charges include massacres during the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, rape, and hostage-taking, though Israel claims Al-Masri was killed in an airstrike in July 2024.
The conflict traces back to October 2023, when Hamas launched an attack in southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 250 hostages. Netanyahu responded with a military campaign in Gaza that has, over 13 months, resulted in the deaths of 44,000 Palestinians and triggered a severe humanitarian crisis.
Despite ICC prosecutor Karim Khan’s commitment to arresting the accused leaders, the court lacks its own police force and has to rely on cooperation from its 124 member states, which include the European Union, Britain, Brazil, and Japan.
