Already a subscriber? Make sure to log into your account before viewing this content. You can access your account by hitting the “login” button on the top right corner. Still unable to see the content after signing in? Make sure your card on file is up-to-date.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has condemned the potential issuance of arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court (ICC) as “a scandal on a historic scale.”
This statement comes amid ongoing investigations into alleged war crimes during the conflict between Israel and Hamas, which began in October. The ICC is scrutinizing the actions of both Hamas’ initial attacks and Israel’s subsequent military response in Gaza, now into its seventh month.
Netanyahu emphasized the severity of the situation in a video statement, stating, “The possibility that they will issue arrest warrants for war crimes against IDF (Israel Defense Force) commanders and state leaders is a scandal on a historic scale.” He continued, “I want to make one thing clear: no decision, neither in The Hague nor anywhere else, will harm our determination to achieve all the goals of the war – the release of all our hostages, a complete victory over Hamas and a promise that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel.”
Netanyahu’s comments follow information that ICC prosecutors have begun interviewing staff from Gaza’s two largest hospitals, marking the first confirmed interaction between ICC investigators and local medical personnel regarding the conduct of the conflict.
The war has had a severe human toll, with Hamas’ attack reportedly killing roughly 1,200 people, while Gaza’s health ministry reports over 34,500 Gazans killed and widespread devastation across the territory. Despite accusations from United Nations bodies and human rights groups of violating international humanitarian law, Israel denies these allegations.
Israel, not recognizing the ICC’s jurisdiction since it is not a member, still faces scrutiny since the Palestinian territories were recognized as a member state by the ICC in 2015. ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan has commented, saying that the court does have jurisdiction over potential war crimes in the region.
