Representatives of the pre-trial chamber of the International Criminal Court have issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
Points of attention
- The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.
- The ICC alleges that Netanyahu and Gallant were complicit in military operations in the Gaza Strip, limiting humanitarian aid and medical care for residents, leading to violations of humanitarian law.
- Despite Israel's challenges to the ICC's jurisdiction, the court asserts its authority to investigate hostilities between Israel and Hamas, citing territorial jurisdiction of Palestine.
- The arrest warrants cover crimes committed between October 8, 2023, and May 20, 2024, related to the obstruction and limitation of aid efforts in Gaza, affecting the provision of healthcare and essential services.
- The ICC accuses Netanyahu and Gallant of obstructing aid efforts, limiting humanitarian assistance, and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian Authority, leading to severe consequences for the residents.
Why the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant
It is noted that the ICC accuses current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The ICC statement says that these crimes were committed between at least October 8, 2023 and at least May 20, 2024.
As a rule, the warrants are classified in order to protect witnesses and ensure that investigations are carried out, but the ICC decided that the victims and their families should be informed.
Representatives of the ICC hold Netanyahu and Gallant responsible, calling them accomplices and civilian bosses during the military operations of the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip.
The court also accuses Netanyahu and Gallant of violating humanitarian law against the residents of the Palestinian Authority.
What is known about other ICC charges against Netanyahu and Gallant
The ICC claims that the law relating to non-international armed conflict can be applied to hostilities between Israel and the terrorist organization Hamas.
It is noted that the prime minister and former head of the Ministry of Defense obstructed and limited the provision of humanitarian aid to the residents of Gaza.
The restrictions, along with power outages and reduced fuel supplies, have also severely affected Gaza's water supply and the ability of hospitals to provide medical care, the ICRC said in a statement.
Israel's request, in which the country challenged the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court over the situation in Palestine, was also rejected.
In addition, Jerusalem asked the Pre-Trial Chamber to order that the Prosecutor's Office submit a new notice of initiation of the investigation to its authorities.
The first request was rejected on the grounds that Israel's recognition of the court's jurisdiction was not necessary. It can exercise its jurisdiction based on the territorial jurisdiction of Palestine.
In addition, the court noted that the prosecution informed Israel about the start of the investigation as early as 2021.
