The International Criminal Court (ICC) issues arrest orders for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defense Chief Over War Crimes in Gaza

Judges at the International Criminal Court have issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defense chief, and Hamas leader Ibrahim Al-Masri in connection with allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

ICC prosecutor Karim Khan announced on May 20 that he was pursuing arrest warrants for alleged crimes related to the Israeli military response in Gaza and the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks on Israel, prompting the action.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) declared that Israel’s consent to the court’s jurisdiction was unnecessary.

Israel has denied the existence of war crimes in Gaza and has rejected the jurisdiction of the Hague-based court. Israel claims that an airstrike killed Mohammed Deif, also known as Al-Masri, but Hamas has neither confirmed nor refuted this claim.