Israeli and Hamas leaders targeted for war crimes by ICC

Nov 21, 2024

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Craig Nigrelli Reporter

By Craig Nigrelli (Reporter), Brock Koller (Senior Producer), Jack Henry (Video Editor)

The International Criminal Court at The Hague has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for their roles in the ongoing war in the Middle East. In addition, it has issued a warrant for Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif.

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The court announced that it issued the warrants against the two Israelis for alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes in the country’s attacks on Gaza.

Palestinian officials have claimed the death toll in the region has topped 40,000 since Israel responded to the Hamas-led terror attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

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The ICC says the warrants include the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare and intentionally directing an attack against the civilian population. It found there was reason to believe both Netanyahu and Gallant intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population in Gaza of food, water, medicine, fuel and electricity from October 2023 to May 2024.

The prosecutor also alleges they hampered humanitarian organizations from providing food and other aid to people in Gaza, who were in desperate need. Netanyahu’s office has called the court’s decision “antisemitic” and the charges “absurd and false.”

The court also issued an arrest warrant for Mohammed Deif. Deif is accused of war crimes for his role in Hamas’s attack on Israel. However, Israel claims it killed Deif earlier this year. The prosecutor had filed similar warrants against Hamas leaders Sinwar and Haniyeh, but withdrew those warrants after confirmation that Israel had killed both.

Israel and the United States do not recognize the International Court’s jurisdiction. However, many countries in Europe do, which puts Israeli officials at risk for arrest in those countries.

Incoming Senate Republican Majority Leader John Thune, S.D., warned Sunday, Nov. 17, that the U.S. could impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court if it issues war crimes arrest warrants against Israeli officials.

Tags: Benjamin Netanyahu, Gaza, Hamas, International Criminal Court, Israel, Israel Defense Forces, Palestine, War

[Craig Nigrelli]

THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT AT THE HAGUE HAS ISSUED ARREST WARRANTS FOR ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, FORMER DEFENSE MINISTER YOAV GALLANT, AS WELL AS HAMAS MILITARY LEADER MOHAMMED DEIF, FOR THEIR ROLES IN THE ONGOING WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
THE COURT ANNOUNCED THAT IT ISSUED THE WARRANTS AGAINST THE TWO ISRAELIS FOR ALLEGED CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY AND WAR CRIMES, IN THE COUNTRY’S ATTACKS ON THE GAZA STRIP.
PALESTINIAN OFFICIALS HAVE CLAIMED THE DEATH TOLL IN THE REGION HAS TOPPED 40,000 SINCE ISRAEL RESPONDED TO THE HAMAS-LED TERROR ATTACK ON ISRAEL, ON OCTOBER 7TH 2023.
THE ICC SAYS THE WARRANTS INCLUDE THE WAR CRIME OF STARVATION AS A METHOD OF WARFARE AND INTENTIONALLY DIRECTING AN ATTACK AGAINST THE CIVILIAN POPULATION. IT FOUND THERE WERE REASON TO BELIEVE THAT BOTH NETANYAHU AND GALLANT “INTENTIONALLY AND KNOWINGLY” DEPRIVED THE CIVILIAN POPULATION, IN GAZA, OF FOOD, WATER, MEDICINE, FUEL AND ELECTRICITY FROM OCTOBER OF 2023 TO MAY OF 2024.
THE PROSECUTOR ALSO ALLEGES THEY HAMPERED HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS FROM PROVIDING FOOD AND OTHER AID TO PEOPLE IN GAZA IN DESPERATE NEED.
NETANYAHU’S OFFICE HAS CALLED THE COURT’S DECISION “ANTISEMITIC” AND THE CHARGES “ABSURD AND FALSE.”
THE COURT ALSO ISSUED AN ARREST WARRANT FOR MOHAMMEN DEIF. DEIF IS ACCUSED OF WAR CRIMES FOR HIS ROLE IN HAMAS’S ATTACK ON ISRAEL.
HOWEVER, ISRAEL CLAIMS IT KILLED DEIF EARLIER THIS YEAR. THE PROSECUTOR HAD FILED SIMILAR WARRANTS AGAINST HAMAS LEADERS SINWAR AND HANIYEH, BUT WITHDREW THOSE WARRANTS AFTER CONFIRMATION THAT ISRAEL HAD KILLED BOTH.
IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT ISRAEL AND THE UNITED STATES DO NOT RECOGNIZE THE COURT’S JURISDICTION HOWEVER MANY COUNTRIES IN EUROPE DO – WHICH PUTS THE ISRAELI OFFICIALS AT RISK FOR ARREST IN THOSE COUNTRIES.
MEANTIME, IN A SEPARATE DEVELOPMENT, U-S ENVOY AMOS HOCHSTEIN IS EXPECTED TO MEET WITH BENJAMIN NETANYAHU ON THURSDAY AFTER REPORTING PROGRESS IN CEASE-FIRE TALKS IN BEIRUT, WITH THE MILITANT GROUP, HEZBOLLAH, WHICH IS ALSO WAGING WAR, WITH ISRAEL.

Israeli and Hamas leaders targeted for war crimes by ICC

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