ICC prosecutor seeks Gaza 'war crimes' arrest warrant for Netanyahu, Hamas leaders
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly cabinet meeting at his Jerusalem office on Dec. 17, 2017. The International Criminal Court (ICC) said Monday it had issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the Gaza Strip. AFP-Yonhap
The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court on Monday applied for arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and top Hamas leaders on suspicion of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Karim Khan said he was seeking warrants against Netanyahu and Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for crimes including "starvation", "wilful killing", and "extermination and/or murder."
"We submit that 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," said Khan in reference to Netanyahu and Gallant.
The charges laid against the Hamas leaders including Yahya Sinwar, the head of the movement in Gaza, and Ismail Haniyeh, the movement's political chief, include "extermination", "rape and other acts of sexual violence", and "taking hostages as a war crime."
"We submit that the crimes against humanity charged were part of a widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population of Israel by Hamas and other armed groups pursuant to organisational policies," said the statement.
The ICC prosecutor in 2021 opened a probe into Israel as well as Hamas and other armed Palestinian groups for possible war crimes in the Palestinian territories.
Khan has said this investigation now "extends to the escalation of hostilities and violence since the attacks that took place on Oct. 7, 2023".
He has also called several times for all hostages in Gaza to be released and warned against Israeli military action in Rafah.
"All wars have rules and the laws applicable to armed conflict cannot be interpreted so as to render them hollow or devoid of meaning," he said in February. (AFP)