“Arrest Netanyahu, Gallant and Hamas leaders”

The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has asked the court’s Pre-Trial Chamber to issue arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for “war crimes and crimes against humanity” in the Gaza Strip from 8 October.

Khan made it clear that he will also seek arrest warrants for the head of Hamas in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, and two other senior Hamas officials: the leader of the Al-Qassem Brigades, Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al-Masri – better known as Mohammed Deif – and the head of the Hamas Political Bureau, Ismail Haniyeh.

Khan clarified that the charges against the Hamas leaders concern “extermination, murder, hostage-taking, rape and sexual violence during detention”, while those against Netanyahu and Gallant consist of having “caused the extermination, starvation as a method of warfare – including the denial of humanitarian aid” and in having “deliberately targeted civilians during the conflict”.