Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, not shown, speak the media prior to Netanyahu’s address to the U.S. Congress on July 24, 2024 in Washington. © Josh Morgan / USA TODAY NETWORK
(The Hague) — An arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been issued by the International Criminal Court. The warrant is in response to alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes in Gaza. The ICC also issued a warrant for Netanyahu’s former defense minister.
The warrants for Netanyahu and his former defense minister Yoav Gallant, accuse them of intentionally depriving Gaza’s civilian population of food, and medical supplies. The court says it has also issued a warrant for Hamas leader Mohammed Deif.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog called the action by the ICC an “outrageous decision” and “a dark day for humanity.” While, the ICC’s jurisdiction is not recognized by Israel or the U.S., the warrant could make it difficult for Netanyahu to travel to other countries.