ICC chief Khan calls for 'urgent' arrest warrant for Netanyahu

ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan has urged the body to expedite arrest warrants for senior Israeli and Hamas leaders in a bid to end the war on Gaza, as the death toll in the besieged enclave continues to rise.

Khan requested arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, as well Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar and Mohammed Deif, on 20 May but is still waiting for approval from the ICC's Pre-Trial Chamber I.

A request for Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh was also issued but his assassination in July has essentially voided this while there are to questions about whether Deif is still alive.

Khan said the “ongoing criminality” and “worsening situation in Palestine" has added urgency to this issue as the death toll in Gaza passes the 41,000 mark and an Israeli military assault on the West Bank intensifies.

“The prosecution respectfully requests that the Chamber issue its decision on the applications for the warrants of arrest against Yahya Sinwar, [Mohammed] Deif, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Yoav Gallant with utmost urgency,” wrote Khan this week.

He also warned that the arrest warrants should be issued immediately so actors can't "obstruct or endanger the investigation or court proceedings".

Israel has strongly opposed Khan's moves against Netanyahu and Gallant, and is scrambling to delay the warrants from being issued.

If passed, this could essentially see Netanyahu arrested if he leaves the country.

Khan, meanwhile, has said he has faced threats over his bid to see Netanyahu stand trial while a pro-Israel lobby group UK Lawyers for Israel has also tried to charge the ICC prosecutor with misconduct.

Israel faces a raft of international accusations over its ongoing war on Gaza, due to the huge civilian death toll and wholesale destruction of infrastructure that has wreaked devastation on the population.

It is also under pressure for the torture and rape of Palestinian detainees, which could potentially see Israeli leaders face further charges in international courts.