The changes state that any conventional attack on Russia, aided by a nuclear power, could be considered to be a joint attack
world3 days ago
The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Monday applied for arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and top Hamas leaders on suspicion of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Karim Khan said he was seeking warrants against Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for crimes including "starvation", "wilful killing", and "extermination and/or murder."
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
"We submit that the crimes against humanity charged were committed as part of a widespread and systematic attack against the Palestinian civilian population pursuant to State policy. These crimes, in our assessment, continue to this day," said Khan in reference to Netanyahu and Gallant.
The charges laid against the Hamas leaders including Yahya Sinwar, the head of the movement in Gaza, and Ismail Haniyeh, the movement's political chief, include "extermination", "rape and other acts of sexual violence", and "taking hostages as a war crime".
"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 organisational policies," said the statement.
The ICC prosecutor in 2021 opened a probe into Israel as well as Hamas and other armed Palestinian groups for possible war crimes in the Palestinian territories.
Khan has said this investigation now "extends to the escalation of hostilities and violence since the attacks that took place on October 7, 2023".
He has also called several times for all hostages in Gaza to be released and warned against Israeli military action in Rafah.
"All wars have rules and the laws applicable to armed conflict cannot be interpreted so as to render them hollow or devoid of meaning," he said in February.
"This has been my consistent message, including from Ramallah last year. Since that time, I have not seen any discernible change in conduct by Israel," he added at the time.
The court in January also said it was investigating potential crimes against journalists since the outbreak of hostilities.
Legal experts have told AFP that Hamas and Israel could face war crimes charges over the conflict.
"Today we once again underline that international law and the laws of armed conflict apply to all. No foot soldier, no commander, no civilian leader, no one, can act with impunity," said the prosecutor.
If granted, the warrant means that technically any of the 124 ICC member states would be obliged to arrest Netanyahu if he travelled there.
But while the warrant could complicate some travel for Netanyahu, the court has no mechanism to enforce its warrants, relying on its members to play ball.
Rumours the court was about to take action had swirled for weeks, prompting Netanyahu to publish his reaction beforehand.
Israel would "never accept" the ICC's "outrageous" rulings, Netanyahu said in a message on X, formerly Twitter. "We will not bow to it."
Five countries in mid-November called for an ICC probe into the Israel-Hamas war, with Khan saying his team had gathered a "significant volume" of evidence on "relevant incidents".
But ICC teams have not been able to enter Gaza or investigate in Israel, which is not an ICC member.
Nevertheless, Khan did visit Israel in November "at the request" of survivors of the October 7 Hamas attacks.
He then travelled to Ramallah in the occupied West Bank to meet senior Palestinian officials.
Opening its doors in 2002, the ICC is the world's only independent court set up to probe the gravest offences including genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
It is a "court of last resort" and only steps in if countries are unwilling or unable to investigate cases themselves.
It hit the headlines in March 2023 when it issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin on the war crime accusation of unlawfully deporting Ukrainian children.
The court also issued a warrant against Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia's presidential commissioner for children's rights, on similar charges.
Israel's military retaliation has killed at least 35,456 people, mostly civilians, according to Gaza's health ministry on Sunday, and an Israeli siege has brought dire food shortages and the threat of famine.
The Gaza war broke out after a Hamas attack on southern Israel which resulted in the deaths of more than 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
Hamas also seized about 250 hostages, 125 of whom Israel estimates remain in Gaza, including 37 the military says are dead.
ALSO READ:
The changes state that any conventional attack on Russia, aided by a nuclear power, could be considered to be a joint attack
world3 days ago
The country launched a probe in March 2021 into WhatsApp's privacy policy, which allowed data sharing with Facebook and its units, sparking global backlash
world4 days ago
This time around, Trump wants the Senate to give up that gatekeeping role and allow him to make 'recess appointments'
world4 days ago
Police allege the offences took place between 2001 and 2019 against 8 victims; the youngest was 17 at the time of the offence
world4 days ago
The two countries have a mutual defence treaty dating back to 1951, which could be invoked if either side came under attack, including in the South China Sea
world4 days ago
Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu conferred the Grand Commander of the Order of Niger on Narendra Modi in Abuja on Sunday
world5 days ago
The titleholder's winning answer focused on using each individual's strengths
world5 days ago
The suspects would be interrogated jointly with the Shin Bet internal security agency, police said
world5 days ago