THE HAGUE — The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leader Ibrahim Al-Masri for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, a legal analyst told Reuters on Thursday.
Jens Iverson, an assistant professor at the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies, explained the process: “The prosecution presents evidence to a group of judges in the pretrial chamber, seeking their determination on whether there are reasonable grounds to believe crimes within the court’s jurisdiction have been committed. Evidently, the judges found sufficient grounds for these three individuals.”
The court accused Netanyahu and Gallant of crimes including the starvation of civilians in Gaza and the persecution of Palestinians.
Al-Masri faces charges related to mass killings, rape, and hostage-taking during the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel that escalated into the ongoing Gaza conflict. Prosecutors noted they are continuing to gather evidence regarding Al-Masri’s reported death.
The ICC’s decision marks a significant moment in international law, intensifying scrutiny of alleged atrocities committed during the Israel-Gaza conflict.
