I.C.C. Prosecutor Asks for Warrants for Netanyahu and Hamas Leaders

I have reasonable grounds to believe, on the basis of evidence collected and examined by my office, that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant bear criminal responsibility for the following international crimes committed on the territory of the State of Palestine from at least the 8th of October 2023. The crimes include starvation of civilians as a method of warfare; willfully causing great suffering, serious injury to body or health or cruel treatment; willful killing or murder and intentionally directing attacks against a civilian population. Three senior leaders of Hamas — Yahya Sinwar, Muhammad Deif, and Ismail Haniyeh — bear criminal responsibility for the following international crimes committed on the territory of Israel and the State of Palestine from at least the 7th of October 2023: extermination as a crime against humanity; murder as a crime against humanity and as a war crime; the taking of hostages as a war crime; rape and other acts of sexual violence during captivity as crimes against humanity and as war crimes; torture during captivity as a crime against humanity and as a war crime.