The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, the court announced on Thursday. This means that both men are now prohibited from traveling to any of the 120 countries that are parties to the Rome Statute.
The ICC stated that there are reasonable grounds to believe Netanyahu and Gallant committed war crimes by using starvation as a method of warfare and crimes against humanity, including murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts. The court claims that the two men deliberately deprived Gaza’s civilian population of essential supplies—such as food, water, fuel, and medical aid—resulting in life-threatening conditions that led to malnutrition, dehydration, and even deaths.
Additionally, the disruption of medical supplies reportedly caused severe suffering, including surgeries performed without anesthesia. The ICC found that the limited humanitarian aid allowed by Israel was inadequate and often conditioned, failing to alleviate the dire conditions in Gaza. The court argues that these actions were part of a systematic attack on civilians, despite international warnings.
Israel had previously objected to the ICC’s jurisdiction over the matter, asserting that the court had no authority to consider the Palestinian complaint. However, the court rejected these claims, affirming its jurisdiction based on territorial grounds in Palestine, as established in a previous ruling. The ICC also noted that Israel was informed of the investigation in 2021 but chose not to seek deferral, dismissing Israel’s objections to the case.
The arrest warrants mark a significant escalation in the ICC’s pursuit of accountability for actions taken during the ongoing conflict.
