Thursday, November 22, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants against the Israeli Prime Minister and his former defense minister Yoav Gallant. In the context of the conflict in Gaza, where the number of deaths has risen to more than 44,000 since the start of the war with Israel according to Hamas. The head of the armed wing Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri, commonly known as 'Deif', is also affected by this ICC decision.
Alessandro Di Bussolo – Vatican City
For suspicions of “war crimes and crimes against humanity committed from at least October 8, 2023 until at least May 20, 2024», the Pre-Trial Chamber of the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants targeting Benyamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, and Yoav Gallant, his former defense minister, but also the head of the armed wing of Hamas Mohammed Deif who, according to Israel, was killed on July 13 in southern Gaza. Information denied by Hamas.
Starvation used as a method of warfare
In this war between Israel and Hamas, triggered by the attack of October 7, 2023, Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant are accused of having used starvation and deprivation of medicine, medical supplies, fuel and electricity as a method of war. “The Chamber found that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the two individuals intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population of Gaza of goods essential to their survival“, wrote the jury in its unanimous decision to issue the arrest warrants. He added that Israel's acceptance of the Court's jurisdiction was not necessary for the execution of the mandate.
Israel denounces shameful and anti-Semitic decision
This decision by the ICC makes Benyamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister internationally wanted suspects. The Israeli Prime Minister and other leaders condemned the arrest warrants issued by the Prosecutor General of the International Criminal Court, Karim Khan, calling the decision “shameful and anti-Semitic». «There is no war more justified than the one Israel is waging in Gaza after the October 7 attacks“, declared the spokesperson for the Israeli Prime Minister, adding that “Israel rejects the absurd and false actions and accusations of the International Criminal Court, which is a biased and discriminatory political body».
More than 44,000 victims
Since the start of the conflict, which is in its thirteenth month, there have been 44,056 casualties in the Gaza Strip and 104,268 injured according to figures from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry. Furthermore, at least 22 people were killed on Thursday, November 21, in Israeli air raids which hit several areas of the Baalbek region, in eastern Lebanon. This was indicated by the Ministry of Health in Beirut, specifying that the greatest number of victims, at least eight, was in the locality of Nabha. In the evening, the current Israeli Minister of Defense, Israel Katz, and the Chief of Staff of the Israeli Forces (IDF), Herzi Halevi, met in Tel Aviv with the American envoy, Amos Hochstein, on mission in the region in an attempt to reach a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah.
