The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on November 21, 2024, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
The ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber I found “reasonable grounds” to believe they bear responsibility for the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare and crimes against humanity, including murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts, committed between October 8, 2023, and May 20, 2024. The allegations center on restricting humanitarian aid and targeting civilians during Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
The warrants also targeted Hamas commander Mohammed Deif for similar charges related to the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, though Israel claims he was killed in an airstrike. The ICC’s jurisdiction stems from Palestine’s 2015 accession to the Rome Statute, despite Israel not being a member.
Netanyahu and Israel have rejected the accusations, calling them antisemitic and denying the court’s authority. The U.S., also not an ICC member, criticized the decision, with President Biden labeling it “outrageous.”
These warrants don’t mean immediate arrest—enforcement depends on ICC member states, and Netanyahu’s travel to non-member countries like the U.S. remains unaffected. However, it raises diplomatic tensions and limits his mobility in the 124 ICC member states, including much of Europe.
The situation remains polarizing, with some nations supporting the ICC’s move as a step toward justice, while others, including Israel’s allies, see it as politically motivated. The broader conflict’s complexities—Hamas’s attack, Israel’s response, and Gaza’s humanitarian crisis—fuel ongoing debate over accountability and bias in international law.
