ICC seeks arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant over 'war crimes'

In an unprecedented development, chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Karim Kahn says he has requested arrest warrants from the judges of the court for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

Kahn says that the charges are for the crimes of “causing extermination, causing starvation as a method of war including the denial of humanitarian relief supplies, deliberately targeting civilians in conflict.”

Kahn says he is also applying for arrest warrants against Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif, and Ismail Haniyeh.

“Today we have applied for warrants to the pretrial chamber of the international criminal court in relation to three individuals who are Hamas members,” says Kahn listing Sinwar, Deif and Haniyeh.

He says they would be charged with extermination, murder, hostage taking, rape and sexual assault in detention.

ICC Prosecutor Khan on application for arrest warrants in the situation in the State of Palestine

Over 1,200 people have been killed in Israel since October, according to Israel’s prime minister’s office, while the Palestinian Health Ministry indicated over 35,000 people were killed in the Gaza Strip during that period.