The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant, following a request by prosecutor Karim Khan made six months ago.
This marks a historic moment for the ICC, as it is the first time in the court’s 22-year history that arrest warrants have been issued for senior officials from Western-allied countries.
In addition to Netanyahu and Gallant, the ICC also issued a warrant for Hamas military chief Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al-Masri, also known as Mohammed Deif, despite Israeli claims that he was killed in Gaza.
The individuals are accused of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity, particularly in relation to atrocities committed since October 7 of last year.
The arrest warrants were issued by the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber I, which consists of three judges.
The chamber rejected Israel’s appeal challenging the court’s jurisdiction, stating that the warrants, classified as “secret,” would be made public due to the ongoing nature of the alleged crimes, including Israel’s continued military actions in Gaza and Hamas’s detention of Israeli captives.
ICC court in Hague.
The ICC emphasized that releasing the warrants was in the interest of the victims and their families, allowing them to be informed of the proceedings. Under the Rome Statute, the treaty that governs the ICC, all 124 member states are now obligated to arrest the individuals named in the warrants and transfer them to The Hague for trial.
A trial cannot proceed in absentia.
