- ICC seeks arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Sinwar over war crimes
- Biden denies Gaza genocide amid Netanyahu warrant request
- Netanyahu rejects ICC prosecutor’s comparison of Israel, Hamas
Karim Khan KC, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), has applied for the issuance of arrest warrants for Yahya Sinwar, the prime minister of Israel and the commander of Hamas, in connection with allegations of war crimes.
In response to an arrest warrant request from the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Joe Biden has declared that the events unfolding in Gaza are not genocide.
The warrant request was deemed “outrageous” by the US president, who also stated that “there is no equivalence – none – between Israel and Hamas, despite the assertions of this prosecutor.
“The situation in Gaza is not genocide.” “We reject that,” stated Mr. Biden during a Jewish American Heritage Month event at the White House.
He stated that American support for the safety and security of Israelis is “ironclad.
Karim Khan KC, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), has applied for the issuance of arrest warrants for Yahya Sinwar, the prime minister of Israel and the commander of Hamas, in connection with allegations of war crimes.
In addition, he is requesting arrest warrants for Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant and other prominent Hamas leaders, including Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al Masri, also known as Deif, the commander-in-chief of the military wing of Hamas, the al Qassam Brigades, and Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas’s political bureau.
Mr. Netanyahu stated, “I reject with disgust the Hague prosecutor’s comparison between democratic Israel and the mass murderers of Hamas in my capacity as prime minister of Israel.”
How daring are you to compare Hamas, which has murdered, burned, butchered, decapitated, raped, and kidnapped our brothers and sisters, to the IDF soldiers who are fighting a just war?
We will strike those who attempt to annihilate us, regardless of any pressure or decision made in an international forum.
Mr. Khan clarified the rationale behind his organization’s application for arrest warrants in a statement.
He stated that it is imperative that we collectively demonstrate that international humanitarian law, the fundamental standard for human behaviour during conflict, is applicable to all individuals and is equally applicable to the situations addressed by my office and the court. This is more important than ever.
This is the tangible method by which we will demonstrate the equal value of all human lives.
He stated that he has reasonable grounds to believe that the leaders of Hamas are responsible for “war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
He provided a comprehensive inventory of alleged crimes, such as murder, hostage-taking, and rape and other forms of sexual violence.
We contend that the crimes against humanity that were charged were part of a pervasive and systematic attack against the civilian population of Israel by Hamas and other armed groups in accordance with organizational policies. He stated that certain of these offences persist to this day, according to our evaluation.
Mr Khan expressed his conviction that Mr Netanyahu and his defence minister, Mr Gallant, are also “bearers of criminal responsibility” for “war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
He provided a list of alleged crimes, such as “intentionally directing attacks against a civilian population” and “starvation of civilians.”
We contend that the crimes against humanity that have been charged were committed as part of a pervasive and systematic attack against the Palestinian civilian population in accordance with state policy. He stated, “In our opinion, these crimes persist to this day.”
Benny Gantz, a former military chief and member of Israel’s war cabinet, harshly criticized Mr Khan’s announcement, asserting that Israel has a robust judiciary capable of investigating itself and fights with “one of the strictest” moral codes.
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The news that Mr Khan was pursuing the arrest of Israeli and Hamas leaders was welcomed by South Africa, which has been leading a genocide case against Israel.
The office of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa stated that the international rule of law must be maintained by applying the law equally to all.
France and Belgium endorsed the request for arrest warrants in separate statements.
In a statement issued late Monday, the French foreign ministry expressed its support for the International Criminal Court, its independence, and the struggle against impunity in all circumstances.
At approximately the same moment, Belgium’s foreign minister, Hadja Lahbib, published a statement on X: “Crimes committed in Gaza must be prosecuted at the highest level, regardless of the perpetrators.
