ICC to issue arrest warrants for Israeli leaders Netanyahu, Gallant 'within two weeks'

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is expected to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant within the next two weeks, Israeli media reported on Wednesday.

A report by Israel's Channel 14 cited unnamed Israeli officials who said they believed that it was "highly probable" that the arrest warrants would be issued in that time frame. 

This comes weeks after Netanyahu said in June that he expected the warrants to be issued before his address to the US Congress on 24 July, according to Ynet.

ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan applied for warrants against the two Israeli leaders on 20 May for the war crimes of using starvation as a weapon of war and wilful killing, among other charges.

According to Channel 14, Israel had made an unofficial agreement with the previous UK government that would see the UK delay the process of issuing warrants in exchange for access to the conditions of Palestinian prisoners accused of involvement in the 7 October attack. London had hoped to placate unrest at home over Israel's brutal war on Gaza through the access.

The government of British former prime minister Rishi Sunak filed a challenge to the ICC questioning its jurisdiction over the matter on 10 June. Following earlier reports that the new Labour government of Keir Starmer would drop the filing, recent reports have indicated that the amicus curiae submission will not be withdrawn.

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy previously said that the UK would not object to ICC arrest warrants issued against the Israeli leaders and would even enforce them.

However, Israeli newspaper Maariv says that Lammy has given Israel assurances that the UK will maintain its objection to the applications 

Channel 14 cited an unnamed European source who said that the UK will not pull the challenge due to not wanting to sour relations with Tel Aviv. The source added that the challenge would likely be ignored by the ICC.

Britain, France and Germany — all allies of Israel — have maintained that they support the independence of the ICC and have indicated that they would enforce its warrants.

Israel's war on Gaza has killed 38,848 Palestinians and wounded a further 89,459 since 7 October, according to the Gaza health ministry.