JERUSALEM, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced as "antisemitic" the International Criminal Court's (ICC) decision to issue arrest warrants on Thursday for him and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged crimes against humanity in Gaza.
The ICC also issued an arrest warrant for Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri, also known as Mohammed Deif, the former leader of Hamas's military wing. Israel announced it had killed Deif in a July airstrike in Gaza, but Hamas has not formally confirmed his death.
Both Israel and Hamas denied ICC's allegations of crimes against humanity.
Netanyahu and Gallant face accusations of accountability for attacks that caused widespread harm to Gaza's civilian population, preventing access to medical treatment, and employing starvation as a weapon of war.
The ICC stated there are "reasonable grounds to believe that Netanyahu and Gallant bear criminal responsibility for the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare." It added that the alleged crimes included "a widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population of Gaza." The court further accused the two leaders of intentionally depriving Gaza's civilian population of essentials such as food, water, medicine, medical supplies, fuel, and electricity.
Over the past months, Israel had sought to block the issuance of the arrest warrants, arguing that the ICC lacks jurisdiction over the country, but the court dismissed Israel's challenge.
Israel reacted with anger. Netanyahu's office released a statement, calling the ICC a "biased and discriminatory political body" and rejecting the accusations as "absurd and false." Netanyahu vowed to press forward with Israel's military campaign in Gaza, stating, "I will not succumb to pressure, will not be intimidated, and will not retreat" until Hamas is defeated and the hostages held in Gaza are freed.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar described the ICC's decision as "a dark moment" for the institution and called on allied nations to "unequivocally reject" the warrants. Defense Minister Israel Katz condemned the move as "shameful," insisting that it would not deter Israel from pursuing its war objectives. He accused the ICC of serving "Iran and its proxies" and vowed a strong response in "every arena -- military, political, and legal."
The arrest warrants mean that if Netanyahu or Gallant travel to one of the 124 countries that are signatories to the Rome Statute, they could face arrest. This includes many of Israel's allies, though not the United States. The decision is also expected to increase international pressure on Israel to agree to a ceasefire.
The ICC's announcement coincided with Netanyahu's meeting in Jerusalem with U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein, part of U.S. efforts to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.
Since early October 2023, Israel has conducted extensive military operations in Gaza. According to United Nations reports, the attacks have destroyed 60 percent of Gaza's buildings, nearly all hospitals, farmland, infrastructure, and universities, while inflicting widespread famine and hunger.
Israel has also heavily restricted humanitarian aid to Gaza, cutting off supplies of electricity, gas, and medical resources, severely affecting water availability and hospital operations, according to UN reports.
Gaza health officials report that over 44,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the Israeli attacks.
The war began following a Hamas-led assault on Oct. 7, 2023, which killed about 1,200 people in Israel and resulted in the abduction of approximately 250 individuals.
In January, the International Court of Justice in The Hague concluded it was "plausible" that Israel had committed acts of genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. ■
