May 20, 2024—The International Criminal Court announced they are taking the first step to provide accountability in the Israeli-Hamas war that started October 7, 2023. The prosecutors applied for arrest warrants today for three Hamas leaders and two Israeli leaders: Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri (Deif), Ismail Haniyeh, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Yoav Gallant.
Specifically, the ICC charged the Hamas officials—Sinwar, al-Masri, and Haniyeh—with the following war crimes and crimes against humanity committed October 7, 2023:
- Extermination;
- Murder;
- Taking hostages;
- Rape and sexual violence;
- Torture;
- Other inhumane acts;
- Cruel treatment in the context of captivity; and
- Outrages upon personal dignity.
“My Office submits that the war crimes alleged in these applications were committed in the context of an international armed conflict between Israel and Palestine, and a non-international armed conflict between Israel and Hamas running in parallel,” said ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan. “We submit that the crimes against humanity charged were part of a widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population of Israel by Hamas and other armed groups pursuant to organizational policies.”
Arrest Warrants Against Israeli Leaders
The ICC also charged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant with the following war crimes and crimes against humanity:
- Starvation of civilians as a method of warfare;
- Willfully causing great suffering, or serious injury to body or health or cruel treatment;
- Willful killing or murder;
- Intentionally directing attacks against a civilian population;
- Extermination and/or murder, including in the context of deaths caused by starvation;
- Persecution;
- Other inhumane acts.
“My Office submits that the evidence we have collected, including interviews with survivors and eyewitnesses, authenticated video, photo and audio material, satellite imagery and statements from the alleged perpetrator group, shows that Israel has intentionally and systematically deprived the civilian population in all parts of Gaza of objects indispensable to human survival,” Khan said.
The ICC is responsible for investigating individuals for genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression. It has 124 members.
