ICC issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant over Gaza war

The International Criminal Court on Thursday issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, over alleged war crimes in Gaza.

The ICC's move now theoretically limits the movement of Netanyahu as any of the court's 124 national members would be obliged to arrest him on their territory.

"The Chamber issued warrants of arrest for two individuals, Mr Benjamin Netanyahu and Mr Yoav Gallant, for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed from at least 8 October 2023 until at least 20 May 2024, the day the Prosecution filed the applications for warrants of arrest," the Hague-based ICC said in a statement.

A warrant had also been issued for Hamas's military chief Mohammed Deif, it added.

Israel said in early August it had killed Deif in an air strike in southern Gaza in July, although Hamas denies he is dead.

The arrest warrants had been classified as "secret" to protect witnesses and to safeguard the conduct of the investigations, the court said.

"However, the Chamber decided to release the information below since conduct similar to that addressed in the warrant of arrest appears to be ongoing," the tribunal said.

"Moreover, the Chamber considers it to be in the interest of victims and their families that they are made aware of the warrants' existence."

ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan in May requested the court issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Netanyahu sacked Gallant as defence minister on 5 November.

Khan also sought warrants against top Hamas leaders including Mohammed Deif on suspicion of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The prosecutor dropped the application for Ismail Haniyeh, the group's political leader, on August 2 "because of the changed circumstances caused by Mr Haniyeh's death" in Tehran on 31 July, the ICC earlier said in a statement.

Israel has launched a relentless, indiscriminate and brutal military campaign on the besieged Gaza Strip on 7 October, killing at least 44,056 people - most of whom were women and children.

The toll includes 71 deaths in the previous 24 hours, according to the health ministry, which said 104,268 people had been wounded in the Gaza Strip since the war began.