ICC Issues Arrest Warrant For Netanyahu, Hamas Welcomes Move

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria  

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

The ICC announced the warrants on Thursday, stating that its 124 member nations are now obligated to arrest the individuals if they enter their territories.

The charges pertain to acts committed from October 8, 2023, to May 20, 2024, as part of investigations initiated by ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan.

Palestinian group Hamas welcomed the arrest warrants as a significant step toward justice. Bassem Naim, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, called the decision “an important step towards justice” but stressed that its impact would remain symbolic unless supported by global enforcement.

Hamas has been engaged in a prolonged war with Israel since its October 7, 2023, attack, which resulted in the deaths of 1,206 Israelis, primarily civilians, according to Israeli authorities. In retaliation, Israeli military operations in Gaza have resulted in over 44,000 Palestinian deaths and more than 104,000 injuries, according to Gaza’s health ministry.

Netanyahu condemned the ICC’s action, calling it a politically motivated attack on Israel. “The anti-Semitic decision of the International Criminal Court is comparable to the modern-day Dreyfus trial,” Netanyahu said, referring to a historical case of wrongful conviction in France.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar dismissed the ICC’s legitimacy, stating that the court acted without authority. “This is a dark moment for the ICC,” Saar said, accusing the court of issuing baseless orders against a non-member state.

The warrants face significant enforcement hurdles, as Israel is not a party to the ICC and has rejected its jurisdiction. Former Nigerian Ambassador to Ethiopia, Ambassador Bulus Lolo, described the ruling as largely symbolic.

“Extending jurisdiction over a party that has not subscribed to your rule will be extremely difficult,” Lolo said, adding that the United States’ backing of Israel complicates enforcement. “The court is touching a baby that is not touchable. I doubt if the ruling will go beyond symbolic significance.”

The ICC’s jurisdictional limitations and geopolitical realities, including veto power wielded by the U.S. at the United Nations Security Council, pose major obstacles to arresting the accused.

The warrants were issued amid an intense 13-month conflict between Israel and Hamas, following Hamas’ cross-border assault. Netanyahu sacked Gallant as defence minister on November 5, 2024, and Israel claimed in August to have killed Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif, though Hamas disputes this.