The Hague, May 20, 2024 – The International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor’s office announced on Monday that it had requested arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and three Hamas leaders—Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Al-Masri, and Ismail Haniyeh—on allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Prosecutor Karim Khan’s office suspects that all five individuals bear criminal responsibility for actions committed during the recent conflict in Israel and the Gaza Strip. The conflict was sparked by a Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which escalated into a devastating war.
Israel has staunchly denied any allegations of war crimes, maintaining that its military actions were in self-defense against Hamas attacks. A senior Hamas official responded to the ICC’s decision by asserting that it “equates the victim with the executioner.”
The final decision on issuing the arrest warrants now lies with the ICC’s pre-trial judges, who will assess whether the evidence presented is sufficient to proceed. This development marks a significant step in international legal scrutiny over the actions of both Israeli and Hamas leaders during the conflict.
