The Hague, November 21, 2024 – The International Criminal Court (ICC) announced on Thursday the issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas’s military chief Mohammed Deif.
The ICC stated that the warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant were issued in connection with alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes committed between October 8, 2023, and May 20, 2024 — the date on which prosecutors submitted the warrant applications.
The court revealed that a separate warrant had also been issued for Deif.
Initially classified as “secret” to protect witnesses and safeguard ongoing investigations, the court decided to disclose the information due to the persistence of similar alleged conduct. “The Chamber considers it to be in the interest of victims and their families to be informed of the warrants’ existence,” the tribunal explained.
ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan had formally requested the warrants in May, citing alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
The development follows a significant political shake-up in Israel, as Netanyahu dismissed Gallant from his role as defense minister earlier this month, on November 5.
