1 of 2 | The International Criminal Court Thursday issued war crimes arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) and former defense minister Yoav Gallant (L). A warrant was also issued for Hamas commander Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri. known as Deif. Photo by Debbie Hill/ UPI |
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Nov. 21 (UPI) -- The International Criminal Court Thursday issued war crimes arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant. A warrant was also issued for the Hamas commander Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri, known as Deif.
The court said the Israeli leaders committed war crimes by intentionally directing military attacks against civilians in Gaza, using starvation as a method of war against Gazans and committed crimes against humanity in a widespread, systematic assault on Gaza's civilian population.
Deif and Hamas, the ICC said, committed war crimes for mass killings of Israeli civilians Oct. 7, 2023, hostage-taking, torture and rape.
The ICC said in a statement that it "issued warrants of arrest for two individuals, Mr Benjamin Netanyahu and Mr Yoav Gallant, for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed from at least Oct. 8, 2023 until at least May 20, 2024, the day the Prosecution filed the applications for warrants of arrest."
The ICC said there are reasonable grounds to believe that Netanyahu and Gallant bear criminal responsibility for "the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare; and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts."
The court said there are reasonable grounds to believe that Netanyahu and Gallant "bear criminal responsibility as civilian superiors for the war crime of intentionally directing attacks against the civilian population of Gaza."
The ICC added that it believes "both individuals intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity, from at least 8 October 2023 to 20 May 2024."
The ICC accuses Netanyahu and Gallant of war crimes against humanity that "were part of a widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population of Gaza."
The court said they "bear criminal responsibility for the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare."
In a separate statement Thursday the ICC said an arrest warrant was issued for Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri, commonly known as 'Deif', "for alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes committed on the territory of the State of Israel and the State of Palestine from at least Oct. 7, 2023."
The arrest warrants, issued by Chamber I of the International Criminal Court, are classified as "secret" to protect witnesses and safeguard the conduct of investigations.
The ICC said 'Deif' committed the war crimes of " intentionally directing attacks against civilians" in Israel Oct. 7, 2023, and taking hostages.
"In light of the coordinated killings of members of civilians at several separate locations, the Chamber also found that the conduct took place as part of a mass killing of members of the civilian population, and it, therefore, concluded that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the crime against humanity of extermination was committed," the ICC said.
The ICC said 'Deif' and Hamas committed "the crimes of torture as a crime against humanity and war crime, rape and other forms of sexual violence as crimes against humanity and war crimes, cruel treatment as a war crime, and outrages upon personal dignity as a war crime were committed against these persons during the relevant period."
"Mr Deif, in his role as the commander of the al-Qassam Brigades, and through his actions prior to, during and after the 7 October Operation, is responsible for the commission of these crimes," the ICC statement said. "In addition, the Chamber considered that Mr Deif ordered or induced the crimes or is responsible as a military commander for the criminal conduct of his subordinates."
ICC prosecutor Karim A.A. Khan applied for the warrants May 20.
He sought warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant, 'Deif' as well as for Yahya Sinwar, head of Hamas in Gaza and Ismail Haniyeh, head of Hamas's political bureau.
The requests for warrants against Sinwar and Haniyeh were withdrawn after they were confirmed killed by Israel.
