The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants on Thursday for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over war crimes and crimes against humanity during Israel’s attack on Gaza.
The charges include the war crimes of causing starvation, systematic targeting of civilians, and obstructing humanitarian aid in Gaza during the conflict. The listed offences are alleged to have taken place between October 2023 and May 2024. ICC judges dismissed Israel’s jurisdictional objections, affirming the court’s authority over the Palestinian territories. “This is not an isolated case but a deliberate, systematic attack,” the ICC stated in its summary.
The ICC accused Netanyahu and Gallant of depriving Gaza civilians of essential supplies, such as food, water, and medicine, while also targeting civilian infrastructure. Notable allegations include forcing doctors to carry out surgeries without anaesthesia due to a blockade of medical supplies. The court described these acts as part of a systematic attack on Gaza’s civilian population.
France has pledged to enforce the warrants, potentially restricting the international travel of Netanyahu and Gallant. Israeli officials rejected the ICC’s decision, calling it biased and a threat to Israel’s security.
The court highlighted evidence of deliberate obstruction of humanitarian aid, citing Netanyahu’s public comments linking aid to military objectives. Warrants remain classified to protect witnesses, but the ICC clarified the allegations pertain to actions up to May 2024.
This decision marks a rare ICC move against sitting political leaders, signalling heightened scrutiny of state conduct in conflict zones. Last year similar arrest warrants were issued against Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and Commissioner for Children’s Rights Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, over allegations of war crimes during Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
A warrant was also issued to Hamas leader Mohammed Deif for alleged war crimes committed during the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack. However, Deif is thought to have been killed in Israel’s attacks on Gaza. The ICC prosecutors had been gathering evidence against two more Hamas leaders, Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Sinwar, but they have both since been assassinated by Israeli forces.
