ICC issues arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu over war crimes in Gaza

The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Thursday issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes in Gaza.
“The Chamber issued warrants of arrest for two individuals, Mr Benjamin Netanyahu and Mr Yoav Gallant, for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed from at least 8 October 2023 until at least 20 May 2024,” the ICC said in a statement.
Israel has been carrying out a retaliatory assault in Gaza since October last year, killing tens of thousands of people, as it attempts to root out Hamas in response to the Palestinian militant group’s attack against Israel on Oct. 7 2023.
The warrant means Netanyahu and Gallant could be arrested if they travel to any of the 120 countries that are parties to the ICC.
U.S. President Joe Biden called the move “outrageous,” adding: “whatever the ICC might imply, there is no equivalence — none — between Israel and Hamas. We will always stand with Israel against threats to its security.”
Netanyahu’s office described the charges in a statement Thursday as “absurd and false lies” and said the judges who issued the warrant were “motivated by antisemitic hatred of Israel.”
“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not give in to pressure,” his office said. “He will continue to pursue all the objectives that Israel set out to achieve in its just war against Hamas and the Iranian axis of terror.”
The Hague-based court said Netanyahu and Gallant “each bear criminal responsibility” for “the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare; and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts,” as well as “intentionally directing an attack against the civilian population.”
Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said the Netherlands, which is a party to the ICC, will arrest Netanyahu if he steps foot in the country.
“The Netherlands implements the Rome Statute one hundred percent,” he said, referring to the court’s founding treaty.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Italy, which is also a party to the court, “supports the ICC” but that it “must play a legal role and not a political role,” adding Rome was mulling how to “interpret” the ruling.
The ICC announced in May that it was seeking an arrest warrant against Netanyahu. Thursday’s development means a warrant has been formally issued.
Israeli government ministers lashed out at the decision Thursday, with ultranationalist National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir calling the court “antisemitic through and through.”
Transport Minister Miri Regev said, “Israel will not apologize for protecting its citizens — this is not a crime, this is our national and moral duty.”
The court also issued an arrest warrant Thursday for Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif, whom Israel alleged was the mastermind behind the Oct. 7 attack. Israel claims it assassinated Deif in a strike in July, but Hamas has never confirmed Deif’s death.
During a press conference in Amman, Jordan on Thursday, the EU’s top diplomat Josep Borrell said that the ICC’s decision “is not political” and that it “must be respected and implemented.”
Predictably, the decision prompted sharp outcry from supporters of Israel in Washington. Nominees to join U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s administration in particular were quick to condemn the court for singling out Israel and threatened that the international tribunal will face consequences when Trump takes office in January.
In a post on X, Mike Waltz, a Florida Republican who Trump has tapped to be his next national security adviser, rejected the allegations against Israel.
He said that the claims of Israel committing war crimes “​​have been refuted by the U.S. government” and added that “Israel has lawfully defended its people & borders from genocidal terrorists.”
“You can expect a strong response to the antisemitic bias of the ICC & UN come January,” he continued.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog also criticized the decision, saying the court has “chosen the side of terror and evil over democracy and freedom, and turned the very system of justice into a human shield for Hamas’ crimes against humanity.”
This story is being updated.
Elena Giordano in Brussels, and Emmy Martin and Eric Bazail-Eimil  in Washington contributed to this report.