The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Galant, as well as Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif.
"The chamber issued arrest warrants for two individuals, Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Galant, for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed from at least October 8, 2023, to at least May 20, 2024, the day on which the prosecution filed the applications for the arrest warrants," the Hague-based ICC said in a statement, adding that a warrant was also issued for Deif.
ICC prosecutor Karim Khan in May asked the court to issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Galant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
"The State of Israel today submitted its formal challenge to the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court, and the legality of the prosecutor's requests for arrest warrants against the Israeli prime minister and defense minister," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein told the X network.
Prosecutor Khan also sought warrants against senior Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar, Ismail Haniyeh and Mohammed Deif on suspicion of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The prosecutor withdrew the request for Haniyeh on August 2 "due to changed circumstances caused by Mr. Haniyeh's death" in Tehran on July 31, the ICC said in a statement this month. Israel says Deif was killed in a July 13 strike in southern Gaza, although Hamas denies he is dead. | BGNES
