ICC issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Galant

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former head of the Defense Ministry Yoav Galant. This was announced on November 21 by the press service of the instance on its official website.

"The Chamber issued arrest warrants for two individuals, Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu and Mr. Yoav Galant, for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed during the period from at least October 8, 2023 until at least May 20, 2024, the day on which the prosecution filed applications for arrest warrants," the authority said.

It is noted that the decision was made because Netanyahu and Galant "continue their criminal acts" and should be aware of the existence of the warrants in the interest of the victims and their families.

As noted, the court has reason to believe that Israel's prime minister and former defense chief are criminally liable as civilian superiors "for the war crime of deliberately attacking a civilian population."

Also according to the press release, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Hamas military wing commander Mohammed Ad Deif.

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Prior to that, on Nov. 19, Netanyahu visited the Gaza Strip and announced his willingness to pay the Palestinians $5 million for each hostage released from the hands of the radical Palestinian movement Hamas.

He threatened accountability for anyone who harms Israeli hostages. The Prime Minister said that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has made significant gains in Gaza and Hamas will no longer rule the enclave, and its military capabilities are being "impressively" destroyed.

Last November, Israel refused to cooperate with the ICC 's investigation into the situation in Palestine. Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Lior Ben-Dor emphasized that Tel Aviv lacked confidence in the work of the ICC's investigative commission.

At the same time, lawyer Burak Bekiroglu reported that Turkey has prepared a lawsuit to the ICC against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of genocide in the Gaza Strip. Turkey believes that any international outcry or pressure from the court will slow down the violence against infants, women, children and all civilians subjected to genocide.

The situation in the Middle East escalated on the morning of October 7, when Hamas launched a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip into Israel, as well as invading border areas in the south and taking hostages. On the same day, Israel began retaliatory strikes against targets in the Gaza Strip.

The Palestinians seek to return the borders between the two countries to the lines that existed before the 1967 Six-Day War. Palestine wants to establish its own state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and make East Jerusalem its capital. Israel refuses to accept the conditions.