ICC Prosecutor Calls for Immediate Arrest Warrants for Netanyahu and Sinwar

The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Karim Khan, urged the judges today, Saturday, to issue a “swift judgment” regarding his request for arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Security Minister Yoav Gallant, and the head of Hamas’ political bureau, Yahya Sinwar.

In a legal memorandum reported by the Israeli “i24” channel, the Prosecutor wrote, “The court has jurisdiction in this case.” He also explained to the judges in his message that “unjustified delays in this procedure would harm the rights of the victims in the Palestinian territories.”

Khan requested that the judges reject legal petitions filed against the arrest warrants, according to the German Press Agency.

Khan added that the court has the authority to investigate Israel and reject the legal arguments based on provisions of the Oslo Accords and Israel’s assertions that it conducts internal investigations into its attacks on the Gaza Strip, in light of the court’s allegations of war crimes.

It is noteworthy that about three months ago, the court issued a decision regarding the arrest warrants. Khan stated that the charges against Sinwar, Ismail Haniyeh, and Mohammed Al-Masri (Al-Deif) include “destruction, murder, taking hostages, rape, and sexual assault during detention.”

The charges against Netanyahu and Gallant include “causing genocide, using starvation as a method of warfare, including preventing humanitarian aid from reaching those in need, and deliberately harming civilians in the conflict.”

So far, a panel of ICC judges has been required to review Khan’s request concerning the arrest warrants, according to the Israeli channel.