The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has applied for arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and three Hamas leaders, including Ismail Haniyeh.
In a statement, Karim Khan said that he has reasonable ground to believe that Netanyahu and Gallant bear criminal responsibility for “war crimes and crimes against humanity” committed on the territory of Palestine, in the Gaza Strip, from at least Oct. 8.
The crimes included "starvation of civilians as a method of warfare as a war crime," "wilfully causing great suffering, or serious injury to body or health," "wilful killing," "intentionally directing attacks against a civilian population as a war crime," and "extermination and/or murder," the statement added.
“Persecution as a crime against humanity” and “other inhumane acts as crimes against humanity” were also mentioned by the prosecutor, based on evidence, collected and examined by his office.
"We submit that crimes against humanity charged committed as part of widespread, systematic attack against Palestinian civilian population pursuant to state policy," Khan said.
The prosecutor also said that they have applied for arrest warrants for three Hamas leaders, including Ismail Haniyeh, Yahya Sinwar, and Mohammed Deif, for some “war crimes and crimes against humanity” committed in Israel and in the Gaza Strip “from at least 7 October 2023.”
These include "extermination as a crime against humanity," "murder as a crime against humanity," "taking hostages as a war crime," "rape and other acts of sexual violence as crimes against humanity, "torture as a crime against humanity," and other inhumane acts as a crime against humanity.
Israel has killed more than 35,400 Palestinians in Gaza since an Oct. 7 cross-border incursion by Hamas that claimed 1,200 lives. The air and ground attacks have reduced the Palestinian enclave to rubble, led to mass internal displacement and shortage of basic necessities.
It also triggered a trial at the International Court of Justice, which in January ordered Tel Aviv to ensure its forces do not commit acts of genocide, and take measures to guarantee humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.
On May 6, Israeli forces started the onslaught on Rafah, ignoring all regional and international warnings about its consequences for civilians who had taken refuge in the city.
