The International Criminal Court (ICC) released arrest warrants on Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Tuesday in a press release for alleged war crimes relating to the Gaza war.
The ICC stated that the two officials are allegedly responsible for starvation as a method of warfare, persecution, murder, and other inhumane acts committed between October 8, 2023, and May 20, 2024.
Chamber I of the ICC also attributed the war crime of intentionally targeting civilians to Netanyahu and Gallant as civilian superiors, the statement said.
Israel had argued that the ICC lacks jurisdiction over its nationals. However, the ICC has dismissed these claims and added that Israel is not required to accept the court’s jurisdiction.
The ICC cited evidence of systematic deprivation of food, water, electricity, medical supplies, and humanitarian aid to Gaza’s civilian population.
The ICC has not disclosed details on the enforcement of the arrest warrants. The Chamber underscored its commitment to transparency, noting that releasing information serves the interests of victims and their families.