City and Country – The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for top Israeli and Hamas officials, raising tensions in the region.

The ICC’s pre-trial chamber rejected Israel’s challenges to its jurisdiction and issued warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif. The warrants accuse the three men of alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Both Israel and Hamas have denied the allegations.

In response to the ICC’s decision, the Israeli prime minister’s office condemned the move as “antisemitic”, while Hamas hailed the warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant as setting an “important historical precedent”. The impact of these warrants will depend on whether the ICC’s 124 member states decide to enforce them, as Israel and the United States are not part of the ICC.

The ICC, established in 2002, has the authority to prosecute individuals accused of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes in states party to the Rome Statute. While Israel is not a member of the ICC and rejects its jurisdiction, the court ruled in 2021 that it had jurisdiction over the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza.

The prosecutor’s case against Netanyahu, Gallant, and Deif stems from events in October 2023, when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel, resulting in casualties and hostages. Israel responded with a military campaign against Hamas, leading to thousands of deaths in Gaza. The ICC alleges that the crimes committed were part of a systematic attack by Hamas and other armed groups against Israeli civilians.

Israel has vehemently denied the charges, with the prime minister’s office rejecting the ICC’s decision as false and absurd. The Israeli president called the ICC’s decision outrageous, accusing the court of siding with terror and evil over democracy and freedom. Hamas, on the other hand, welcomed the warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, calling for countries to enforce them and stop what it termed as genocide against civilians in Gaza. Israel has denied committing genocide in Gaza.