ICC Prosecutor Urges Urgent Arrest Warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant

The Hague, Aug 23 – The International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Karim Khan reaffirmed the court’s jurisdiction to investigate Israeli nationals and urged the court to expedite decisions on arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

In court documents made public on Friday, Khan emphasized the importance of swift action, stating that any unnecessary delays would negatively impact the rights of victims. He asserted that the ICC has clear jurisdiction over Israeli nationals accused of committing atrocity crimes in Palestinian territories, dismissing legal objections raised by various governments and entities.

Khan’s filing rejected arguments referencing the Oslo Accords and Israel’s own investigations into alleged war crimes, asserting that the ICC’s jurisdiction is “settled law” in this context.

The ICC is considering arrest warrants against Netanyahu, Gallant, as well as Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Al-Masri (also known as Mohammed Deif), and Ismail Haniyeh, all accused of bearing criminal responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Haniyeh was assassinated in Iran in late July, and the court has declined to comment on his reported death. Israel claims to have killed Al-Masri in an airstrike, though Hamas has neither confirmed nor denied this.

The conflict, which escalated after an initial Hamas attack that killed approximately 1,200 people and resulted in 250 hostages being taken, has led to a severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with nearly 40,000 Palestinians reported killed in Israel’s subsequent military response. Both Israeli and Palestinian leaders have rejected accusations of war crimes, criticizing Khan’s decision to pursue the warrants.